Namewise

Deborah vs Linda

Deborah and Lindacompared 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 Zealand · Girls

    In 1979, Deborah was ranked #40 and Linda #76 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1980, Deborah was ranked #86 and Linda #52 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2024, Deborah was ranked #453 and Linda #376 among girls in Norway.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2012, Deborah was ranked #451 and Linda #451 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Deborah was ranked #580 and Linda #1892 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Deborah was ranked #608 and Linda #718 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Deborah and Linda over time

Deborah and Linda appear together in 5 published lists, across 169 years of shared records. Linda held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Deborah in 2.

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.

Deborah reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Linda in 2. 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.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1958, Deborah moved ahead of Linda in New Zealand · Girls — #15 and #7 the year before became #6 and #7.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Deborah and Linda changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1952 and 1980, ending at #86 and #52.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 29 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Deborah and Linda averaged 12.8 places apart, ending at #86 and #52.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Deborah and Linda were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #580 and #1892.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Deborah #302 in 1996, Linda #638 in 1997.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls57 shared years, 1964–2025

    Deborah held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Linda in 44.

    Highest recorded here: Deborah #38 in 1981, Linda #13 in 1973.

    The order changed in 2025: Deborah moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #905 and #747; by 2025 that had become #608 and #718.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Deborah #608, Linda #718.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Deborah held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Linda in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Deborah #302 in 1996, Linda #638 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Deborah #580, Linda #1892.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls29 shared years, 1952–1980

    Deborah held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Linda in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Deborah #3 in 1957, Linda #12 in 1963.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 1980: Deborah #86, Linda #52.

  • Norway · Girls28 shared years, 1953–2024

    Deborah held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Linda in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Deborah #368 in 1957, Linda #1 in 1975.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Deborah #453, Linda #376.

  • New Zealand · Girls25 shared years, 1954–1979

    Deborah held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Linda in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Deborah #3 in 1966, Linda #7 in 1957.

    The order changed in 1958: Deborah moved ahead. In 1957 they stood at #15 and #7; by 1958 that had become #6 and #7.

    Most recent shared year, 1979: Deborah #40, Linda #76.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Deborah

Pairs where Deborah shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Linda

Pairs where Linda shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

Pairs measured inside New Zealand's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1970s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1970 and 1979.

The 1970s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Deborah, Linda
FieldDeborahLinda
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningFrom Hebrew, meaning 'bee'. In the biblical Book of Judges, Deborah was a prophetess who led the Israelites against Canaanite forces.Not yet recorded
OriginBiblical HebrewNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈdɛb.ə.ɹə/Not yet recorded
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #429 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #718 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Deborah has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Linda does not have one recorded yet.
  • Deborah has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Linda.
  • A meaning is recorded for Deborah; Linda doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Deborah

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #51 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–1980

    Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1957 (recorded 1952–1980).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #580 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Linda

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #329 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1945–2024

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Norway, in 1975 (recorded 1945–2024).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1892 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls