Namewise

Deborah vs Robyn

Deborah and Robyncompared 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.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Deborah was ranked #608 and Robyn #19 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1975, Deborah was ranked #35 and Robyn #80 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Deborah was ranked #790 and Robyn #48 among girls in Scotland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1974, Deborah was ranked #50 and Robyn #85 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Deborah was ranked #580 and Robyn #76 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2012, Deborah was ranked #451 and Robyn #126 among girls in Northern Ireland.

Deborah and Robyn over time

Deborah and Robyn appear together in 5 published lists, across 126 years of shared records. Robyn held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Deborah in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 3 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, Robyn 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 1956, Deborah moved ahead of Robyn in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #12 and #8 the year before became #7 and #8.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Deborah and Robyn averaged 18.4 places apart, ending at #50 and #85.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Deborah and Robyn were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #580 and #76.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls40 shared years, 1982–2025

    Deborah held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Robyn in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Deborah #42 in 1982, Robyn #19 in 2025.

    The order changed in 1993: Robyn moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #111 and #121; by 1993 that had become #150 and #143.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Deborah #608, Robyn #19.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Deborah #302 in 1996, Robyn #64 in 2023.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Deborah #580, Robyn #76.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls23 shared years, 1952–1974

    Deborah held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Robyn in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Deborah #3 in 1957, Robyn #6 in 1953.

    The order changed in 1956: Deborah moved ahead. In 1955 they stood at #12 and #8; by 1956 that had become #7 and #8.

    Most recent shared year, 1974: Deborah #50, Robyn #85.

  • New Zealand · Girls22 shared years, 1954–1975

    Deborah held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Robyn in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Deborah #3 in 1966, Robyn #8 in 1956.

    The order changed in 1958: Deborah moved ahead. In 1957 they stood at #15 and #8; by 1958 that had become #6 and #11.

    Most recent shared year, 1975: Deborah #35, Robyn #80.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 1997–2012

    Deborah held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Robyn in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Deborah #116 in 1997, Robyn #63 in 2000.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2012: Deborah #451, Robyn #126.

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 Robyn

Pairs where Robyn 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, Robyn
FieldDeborahRobyn
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningFrom Hebrew, meaning 'bee'. In the biblical Book of Judges, Deborah was a prophetess who led the Israelites against Canaanite forces.A feminine variant of Robin, itself a diminutive of Robert.
OriginBiblical HebrewGermanic, feminine diminutive form
Pronunciation/ˈdɛb.ə.ɹə//ˈɹɑb.ɪn/
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, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #429 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #19 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Deborah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Robyn is recorded with a Germanic, feminine diminutive form origin.
  • Deborah has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Robyn.
  • Deborah's recorded meaning differs from Robyn's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, 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

Robyn

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #7 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 recorded1952–1974

    Highest recorded position: #6 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1953 (recorded 1952–1974).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #76 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls