Deborah vs Lisa
Deborah and Lisacompared 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 1980, Deborah was ranked #86 and Lisa #7 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1985, Deborah was ranked #94 and Lisa #9 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2009, Deborah was ranked #419 and Lisa #174 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Deborah was ranked #429 and Lisa #174 among girls in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Deborah was ranked #608 and Lisa #443 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Deborah was ranked #708 and Lisa #795 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Deborah was ranked #790 and Lisa #790 among girls in Scotland.
Deborah and Lisa over time
Deborah and Lisa appear together in 6 published lists, across 172 years of shared records. Lisa held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Deborah in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 4 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 4 of those lists, and Lisa 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1964, Lisa moved ahead of Deborah in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #10 and #14 the year before became #16 and #11.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Deborah and Lisa changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #708 and #795.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 22 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Deborah and Lisa averaged 35.4 places apart, ending at #86 and #7.
- Longest-running competitions
Deborah and Lisa were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 59 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #608 and #443.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Deborah #302 in 1996, Lisa #105 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls59 shared years, 1964–2025
Deborah held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Lisa in 51.
Highest recorded here: Deborah #38 in 1981, Lisa #3 in 1984.
The order changed in 1971: Lisa moved ahead. In 1970 they stood at #40 and #54; by 1971 that had become #46 and #28.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Deborah #608, Lisa #443.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Deborah held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Lisa in 16.
Highest recorded here: Deborah #302 in 1996, Lisa #105 in 1996.
The order changed in 2022: Deborah moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #801 and #755; by 2022 that had become #857 and #910.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Deborah #708, Lisa #795.
Norway · Girls29 shared years, 1953–2025
Deborah held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lisa in 29.
Highest recorded here: Deborah #368 in 1957, Lisa #44 in 1993.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Deborah #429, Lisa #174.
New Zealand · Girls23 shared years, 1962–1985
Deborah held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Lisa in 18.
Highest recorded here: Deborah #3 in 1966, Lisa #1 in 1968.
The order changed in 1967: Lisa moved ahead. In 1966 they stood at #3 and #7; by 1967 that had become #4 and #2.
Most recent shared year, 1985: Deborah #94, Lisa #9.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls22 shared years, 1959–1980
Deborah held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Lisa in 17.
Highest recorded here: Deborah #4 in 1959, Lisa #2 in 1968.
The order changed in 1964: Lisa moved ahead. In 1963 they stood at #10 and #14; by 1964 that had become #16 and #11.
Most recent shared year, 1980: Deborah #86, Lisa #7.
Northern Ireland · Girls10 shared years, 1997–2009
Deborah held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lisa in 10.
Highest recorded here: Deborah #116 in 1997, Lisa #63 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2009: Deborah #419, Lisa #174.
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 | Deborah | Lisa |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | From Hebrew, meaning 'bee'. In the biblical Book of Judges, Deborah was a prophetess who led the Israelites against Canaanite forces. | A short form of Elizabeth, often used independently — notably the name of the subject of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Hebrew, short form of Elizabeth |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdɛb.ə.ɹə/ | /ˈliː.sə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #429 (2025) | Norway · Girls #174 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Deborah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Lisa is recorded with a Hebrew, short form of Elizabeth origin.
- Deborah has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Lisa.
- Deborah's recorded meaning differs from Lisa's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Deborah
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1952–1980
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1957 (recorded 1952–1980).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #429 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls
Lisa
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #330 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1962–1997
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 1968 (recorded 1962–1997).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #174 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls