Colleen vs Janet
Colleen and Janetcompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1965, Colleen was ranked #80 and Janet #82 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1965, Colleen was ranked #87 and Janet #80 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 1999, Colleen was ranked #103 and Janet #344 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2012, Colleen was ranked #560 and Janet #907 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2016, Colleen was ranked #4763 and Janet #2547 among girls in England and Wales.
Colleen and Janet over time
Colleen and Janet appear together in 4 published lists, across 78 years of shared records. Janet held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Colleen in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Janet reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Colleen in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- Longest-running competitions
Colleen and Janet were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 34 years, from 1968 to 2012, ending at #560 and #907.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Colleen #753 in 1996, Janet #1031 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls34 shared years, 1968–2012
Colleen held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Janet in 21.
Highest recorded here: Colleen #197 in 1992, Janet #98 in 1969.
The order changed in 2010: Colleen moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #490 and #439; by 2010 that had become #475 and #910.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Colleen #560, Janet #907.
England and Wales · Girls18 shared years, 1996–2016
Colleen held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Janet in 13.
Highest recorded here: Colleen #753 in 1996, Janet #1031 in 1996.
The order changed in 2001: Janet moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #1095 and #1475; by 2001 that had become #1305 and #1238.
Most recent shared year, 2016: Colleen #4763, Janet #2547.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls14 shared years, 1952–1965
Colleen held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Janet in 13.
Highest recorded here: Colleen #41 in 1952, Janet #36 in 1952.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1965: Colleen #80, Janet #82.
New Zealand · Girls12 shared years, 1954–1965
Colleen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Janet in 12.
Highest recorded here: Colleen #43 in 1955, Janet #19 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1965: Colleen #87, Janet #80.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Colleen | Janet |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #718 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #4867 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Colleen and Janet both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Colleen
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #41 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1966
Highest recorded position: #41 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1966).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #718 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Janet
Popularity journey
First recorded1947
First recorded at #308 among girls in Norway in 1947 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1954–1966
Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1966).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #4867 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls