Denise vs Lauren
Denise and Laurencompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2015, Denise was ranked #426 and Lauren #59 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2020, Denise was ranked #834 and Lauren #62 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Denise was ranked #4867 and Lauren #1166 among girls in England and Wales.
Denise and Lauren over time
Denise and Lauren appear together in 2 published lists, across 71 years of shared records. Lauren held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Denise 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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.
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 took the other's place near the top
In Republic of Ireland · Girls, Lauren moved into the top 50 at #32 in 1991 as Denise fell out of it to #52, having been #41 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1991, Lauren moved ahead of Denise in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #41 and #71 the year before became #52 and #32.
- Longest-running competitions
Denise and Lauren were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #4867 and #1166.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Denise #664 in 1998, Lauren #5 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls41 shared years, 1971–2020
Denise held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Lauren in 27.
Highest recorded here: Denise #31 in 1981, Lauren #6 in 2001.
The order changed in 1991: Lauren moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #41 and #71; by 1991 that had become #52 and #32.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Denise #834, Lauren #62.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Denise held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lauren in 30.
Highest recorded here: Denise #664 in 1998, Lauren #5 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Denise #4867, Lauren #1166.
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 | Lauren |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | A variant/feminine form of Laurence, tracing to the place name Laurentum. First popularized as a feminine name by actress Lauren Bacall (born Betty Jean Perske). |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Latin (place name origin), via a modern stage-name |
| Pronunciation | /ˈlɔɹ.ən/ | |
| 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, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #4867 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #118 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Lauren has a recorded origin (Latin (place name origin), via a modern stage-name); Denise does not have one recorded yet.
- Denise has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Lauren.
- A meaning is recorded for Lauren; Denise doesn't have one written yet.
- 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 recent2025
Most recently recorded at #4867 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Lauren
Popularity journey
First recorded1971
First recorded at #466 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1971 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2023
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2001 (recorded 1997–2023).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #1166 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls