Debra vs Shonagh

Debra and Shonaghcompared 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 2004, Debra was ranked #677 and Shonagh #235 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2002, Debra was ranked #4137 and Shonagh #4137 among girls in England and Wales.

Debra and Shonagh over time

Debra and Shonagh appear together in 1 published list, across 9 years of shared records. Debra held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Shonagh 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.

Debra reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Shonagh 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.

List by list

Republic of Ireland · Girls9 shared years, 1980–2004
Debra held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Shonagh in 3.
Highest recorded here: Debra #312 in 1982, Shonagh #235 in 2004.
The order changed in 1997: Shonagh moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #340 and #356; by 1997 that had become #576 and #394.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Debra #677, Shonagh #235.

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 Debra

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

Jennifer vs Debra
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Jennifer #1 in 1956, Debra #6 in 1958.
Jennifer · Debra · 20 shared years, 1953–1973 · Peaked in the same years
See the 1958 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Karen vs Debra
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Karen #1 in 1957, Debra #17 in 1959.
Karen · Debra · 19 shared years, 1955–1973 · Peaked in the same years
See the 1959 New Zealand ranking
Donna vs Debra
In 1961, Donna moved ahead of Debra in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #12 and #7 the year before became #6 and #18.
Donna · Debra · 20 shared years, 1953–1973 · One moved ahead of the other
See the 1961 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Debra vs Vicki
Across 20 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Debra and Vicki averaged 11.8 places apart, ending at #99 and #74.
Debra · Vicki · 20 shared years, 1953–1973 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1973 New South Wales, Australia ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Debra, Shonagh
Field	Debra	Shonagh
Record type	Official statistical record (evidence-only)	Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usage	female	female
Meaning	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Origin	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Pronunciation	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Syllables	2	2
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NZ	GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE
Most recent popularity observation	England and Wales · Girls #5891 (2024)	Republic of Ireland · Girls #885 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	94/100	74/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Debra and Shonagh both have 2 syllables.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.

How each name got here

Debra

Popularity journey

First recorded1953
First recorded at #75 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1953–1973
Highest recorded position: #6 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1958 (recorded 1953–1973).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #5891 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls

Shonagh

Popularity journey

First recorded1980
First recorded at #542 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1980 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1980–2025
Highest recorded position: #235 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2004 (recorded 1980–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls