Debbie vs Maria
Debbie and Mariacompared 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 1975, Debbie was ranked #89 and Maria #43 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 1999, Debbie was ranked #291 and Maria #51 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1975, Debbie was ranked #95 and Maria #69 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2020, Debbie was ranked #834 and Maria #69 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Debbie was ranked #2771 and Maria #91 among girls in England and Wales.
Debbie and Maria over time
Debbie and Maria appear together in 4 published lists, across 95 years of shared records. Maria held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Debbie in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Debbie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Maria 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
Debbie and Maria were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 31 years, from 1970 to 2020, ending at #834 and #69.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls31 shared years, 1970–2020
Debbie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Maria in 31.
Highest recorded here: Debbie #251 in 1981, Maria #27 in 1988.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Debbie #834, Maria #69.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Debbie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Maria in 29.
Highest recorded here: Debbie #571 in 1996, Maria #66 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Debbie #2771, Maria #91.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls19 shared years, 1957–1975
Debbie held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Maria in 18.
Highest recorded here: Debbie #31 in 1959, Maria #13 in 1966.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1975: Debbie #89, Maria #43.
New Zealand · Girls16 shared years, 1960–1975
Debbie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Maria in 16.
Highest recorded here: Debbie #68 in 1962, Maria #21 in 1967.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1975: Debbie #95, Maria #69.
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 | Debbie | Maria |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | The Latin form of Greek Maria, from Hebrew Miryam (see Mary). |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission |
| Pronunciation | /mɑ.ˈriː.ɑ/ | |
| 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, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #2771 (2024) | Norway · Girls #62 (2025) |
| 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
- Maria has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission); Debbie does not have one recorded yet.
- Debbie and Maria both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Maria; Debbie doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Debbie
Popularity journey
First recorded1957
First recorded at #63 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1957 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1957–1975
Highest recorded position: #31 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1959 (recorded 1957–1975).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2771 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls
Maria
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #126 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Norway, in 1982 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #62 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls