Darcie vs Wendy
Darcie and Wendycompared 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.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Darcie was ranked #90 and Wendy #2771 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Darcie was ranked #124 and Wendy #541 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2022, Darcie was ranked #183 and Wendy #502 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Darcie and Wendy over time
Darcie and Wendy appear together in 2 published lists, across 37 years of shared records. Darcie held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Wendy in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.
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.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Darcie held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Wendy in 0.
Highest recorded here: Darcie #66 in 2017, Wendy #820 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Darcie #90, Wendy #2771.
Republic of Ireland · Girls8 shared years, 2004–2022
Darcie held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Wendy in 1.
Highest recorded here: Darcie #152 in 2019, Wendy #502 in 2022.
The order changed in 2012: Darcie moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #677 and #511; by 2012 that had become #354 and #907.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Darcie #183, Wendy #502.
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 | Darcie | Wendy |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Popularized by J. M. Barrie's 1904 play Peter Pan, where the character's name was created from the nickname 'fwendy' ('friend') given to Barrie by a young friend. Occasionally appeared before the play and may relate to Welsh names beginning with 'gwen' ('white, blessed'), though the name only became common after Barrie's play. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Literary invention (English), with a possible Welsh connection |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈwɛn.di/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #173 (2025) | Scotland · Girls #541 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Wendy has a recorded origin (Literary invention (English), with a possible Welsh connection); Darcie does not have one recorded yet.
- Darcie and Wendy both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Wendy; Darcie doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Darcie
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #549 among girls in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #66 among girls in England and Wales, in 2017 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #173 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Wendy
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #16 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 recorded1954–1981
Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New Zealand, in 1958 (recorded 1954–1981).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2771 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls