Diane vs Lillian

Diane and Lilliancompared 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.

England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Diane was ranked #2411 and Lillian #309 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Diane was ranked #727 and Lillian #364 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Diane and Lillian over time

Diane and Lillian appear together in 2 published lists, across 72 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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.

Diane reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Lillian 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.

Longest-running competitions
Diane and Lillian were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 43 years, from 1964 to 2023, ending at #727 and #364.

List by list

Republic of Ireland · Girls43 shared years, 1964–2023
Diane held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Lillian in 11.
Highest recorded here: Diane #126 in 1983, Lillian #242 in 2014.
The order changed in 2002: Lillian moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #335 and #498; by 2002 that had become #406 and #374.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Diane #727, Lillian #364.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Diane held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lillian in 29.
Highest recorded here: Diane #983 in 1997, Lillian #274 in 2017.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Diane #2411, Lillian #309.

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 Diane

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

Christine vs Diane
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Christine #1 in 1952, Diane #17 in 1953.
Christine · Diane · 19 shared years, 1952–1970 · Peaked in the same years
See the 1953 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Susan vs Diane
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Susan #1 in 1954, Diane #17 in 1953.
Susan · Diane · 19 shared years, 1952–1970 · Peaked in the same years
See the 1954 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Heather vs Diane
Across 20 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Heather and Diane averaged 6.5 places apart, ending at #77 and #82.
Heather · Diane · 20 shared years, 1954–1973 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1973 New Zealand ranking
Lisa vs Diane
In 1966, Lisa moved ahead of Diane in New Zealand · Girls — #31 and #30 the year before became #7 and #32.
Lisa · Diane · 12 shared years, 1962–1973 · One moved ahead of the other
See the 1966 New Zealand ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Diane, Lillian
Field	Diane	Lillian
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	2	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, NO
Most recent popularity observation	England and Wales · Girls #2411 (2024)	Norway · Girls #295 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	94/100	82/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Diane and Lillian both have 2 syllables.
Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.

How each name got here

Diane

Popularity journey

First recorded1952
First recorded at #21 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 recorded1954–1973
Highest recorded position: #16 among girls in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1973).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2411 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls

Lillian

Popularity journey

First recorded1945
First recorded at #40 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #40 among girls in Norway, in 1945 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #295 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls