Diane vs Ursula

Diane and Ursulacompared 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 1998, Diane was ranked #229 and Ursula #229 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2012, Diane was ranked #768 and Ursula #907 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Diane was ranked #2411 and Ursula #2574 among girls in England and Wales.

Diane and Ursula over time

Diane and Ursula appear together in 2 published lists, across 68 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Ursula reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Diane 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.

Repeatedly exchanged positions
Diane and Ursula changed places 7 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2012, ending at #768 and #907.
Longest-running competitions
Diane and Ursula were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 39 years, from 1964 to 2012, ending at #768 and #907.
Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Diane #983 in 1997, Ursula #983 in 1997.

List by list

Republic of Ireland · Girls39 shared years, 1964–2012
Diane held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Ursula in 10.
Highest recorded here: Diane #126 in 1983, Ursula #98 in 1964.
The order changed in 2010: Diane moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #764 and #635; by 2010 that had become #663 and #910.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Diane #768, Ursula #907.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Diane held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Ursula in 25.
Highest recorded here: Diane #983 in 1997, Ursula #983 in 1997.
The order changed in 2024: Diane moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #2504 and #2346; by 2024 that had become #2411 and #2574.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Diane #2411, Ursula #2574.

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, Ursula
Field	Diane	Ursula
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
Syllables	2	3
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ	GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE
Most recent popularity observation	England and Wales · Girls #2411 (2024)	England and Wales · Girls #2574 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	94/100	88/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Diane has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Ursula.
Both names have recorded usage in 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

Ursula

Popularity journey

First recorded1964
First recorded at #98 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2012
Highest recorded position: #98 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2012).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2574 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls