Denise vs Donna
Denise and Donnacompared 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 1969, Denise was ranked #97 and Donna #13 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1973, Denise was ranked #86 and Donna #26 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 1998, Denise was ranked #261 and Donna #351 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2020, Denise was ranked #834 and Donna #834 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Denise was ranked #4843 and Donna #5891 among girls in England and Wales.
Denise and Donna over time
Denise and Donna appear together in 4 published lists, across 118 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Denise reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Donna in 1. 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 1959, Donna moved ahead of Denise in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #36 and #48 the year before became #45 and #20.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Denise and Donna changed places 15 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #4843 and #5891.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 20 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Denise and Donna averaged 29.0 places apart, ending at #86 and #26.
- Longest-running competitions
Denise and Donna were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 52 years, from 1964 to 2020, ending at #834 and #834.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Denise #664 in 1998, Donna #441 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls52 shared years, 1964–2020
Denise held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Donna in 14.
Highest recorded here: Denise #31 in 1981, Donna #33 in 1982.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Denise #834, Donna #834.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Denise held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Donna in 13.
Highest recorded here: Denise #664 in 1998, Donna #441 in 1996.
The order changed in 2022: Denise moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #5581 and #4634; by 2022 that had become #3148 and #5669.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Denise #4843, Donna #5891.
New Zealand · Girls20 shared years, 1954–1973
Denise held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Donna in 15.
Highest recorded here: Denise #23 in 1960, Donna #6 in 1965.
The order changed in 1959: Donna moved ahead. In 1958 they stood at #28 and #38; by 1959 that had become #28 and #15.
Most recent shared year, 1973: Denise #86, Donna #26.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls17 shared years, 1953–1969
Denise held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Donna in 11.
Highest recorded here: Denise #22 in 1953, Donna #5 in 1964.
The order changed in 1959: Donna moved ahead. In 1958 they stood at #36 and #48; by 1959 that had become #45 and #20.
Most recent shared year, 1969: Denise #97, Donna #13.
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 | Denise | Donna |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | ||
| Syllables | 3 | 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, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #4843 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #736 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Denise has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Donna.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Denise
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #24 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 recorded1952–1969
Highest recorded position: #22 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1953 (recorded 1952–1969).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #4843 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls
Donna
Popularity journey
First recorded1953
First recorded at #91 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 recorded1953–1982
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1964 (recorded 1953–1982).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #5891 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls