Donna vs Fern
Donna and Ferncompared 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, Donna was ranked #5891 and Fern #311 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Donna was ranked #736 and Fern #736 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Donna and Fern over time
Donna and Fern appear together in 2 published lists, across 42 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Donna reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Fern 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.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Donna #441 in 1996, Fern #233 in 1996.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Donna held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Fern in 29.
Highest recorded here: Donna #441 in 1996, Fern #233 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Donna #5891, Fern #311.
Republic of Ireland · Girls13 shared years, 1982–2024
Donna held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Fern in 3.
Highest recorded here: Donna #33 in 1982, Fern #457 in 1991.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Donna #736, Fern #736.
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 Donna
Pairs where Donna shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Donna vs Denise
Donna and Denise changed places 16 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2020, ending at #834 and #834.
Donna · Denise · 52 shared years, 1964–2020 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
- Donna vs Lorraine
Donna and Lorraine changed places 14 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2013, ending at #894 and #894.
Donna · Lorraine · 48 shared years, 1964–2013 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
- Donna vs Stacey
Donna and Stacey changed places 12 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1977 and 2024, ending at #736 and #898.
Donna · Stacey · 37 shared years, 1977–2024 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
- Karen vs Donna
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Karen #1 in 1963, Donna #5 in 1964.
Karen · Donna · 30 shared years, 1953–1982 · Peaked in the same years
Side by side
| Field | Donna | Fern |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #736 (2024) | England and Wales · Girls #301 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Donna has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Fern.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
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
Fern
Popularity journey
First recorded1982
First recorded at #523 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1982 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #233 among girls in England and Wales, in 1996 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #301 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls