Donna vs Joanne
Donna and Joannecompared 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 1982, Donna was ranked #79 and Joanne #43 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1984, Donna was ranked #90 and Joanne #63 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2004, Donna was ranked #372 and Joanne #238 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2020, Donna was ranked #834 and Joanne #628 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Donna was ranked #5891 and Joanne #2000 among girls in England and Wales.
Donna and Joanne over time
Donna and Joanne appear together in 4 published lists, across 142 years of shared records. Joanne held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Donna in 0.
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.
Donna reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Joanne 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 1964, Joanne moved ahead of Donna in New Zealand · Girls — #9 and #11 the year before became #8 and #6.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Donna and Joanne changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1954 and 1984, ending at #90 and #63.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Donna and Joanne averaged 16.4 places apart, ending at #79 and #43.
- Longest-running competitions
Donna and Joanne were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 30 years, from 1953 to 1982, ending at #79 and #43.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Donna #441 in 1996, Joanne #168 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls52 shared years, 1964–2020
Donna held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Joanne in 34.
Highest recorded here: Donna #33 in 1982, Joanne #29 in 1979.
The order changed in 2013: Joanne moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #510 and #907; by 2013 that had become #894 and #747.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Donna #834, Joanne #628.
New Zealand · Girls31 shared years, 1954–1984
Donna held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Joanne in 26.
Highest recorded here: Donna #6 in 1965, Joanne #4 in 1969.
The order changed in 1964: Joanne moved ahead. In 1963 they stood at #9 and #11; by 1964 that had become #8 and #6.
Most recent shared year, 1984: Donna #90, Joanne #63.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls30 shared years, 1953–1982
Donna held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Joanne in 21.
Highest recorded here: Donna #5 in 1964, Joanne #5 in 1970.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1982: Donna #79, Joanne #43.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Donna held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Joanne in 29.
Highest recorded here: Donna #441 in 1996, Joanne #168 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Donna #5891, Joanne #2000.
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 | Donna | Joanne |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | A variant of Joan/Johanne, ultimately from the same Hebrew-via-Greek-via-Old-French tradition as John (Yochanan, 'Yahweh is gracious') — sometimes also read as a blend of Jo and Anne. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | English and French, from Hebrew via Greek Ioannes |
| Pronunciation | /d͡ʒoʊ.ˈæn/ | |
| 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, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #736 (2024) | England and Wales · Girls #1719 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Joanne has a recorded origin (English and French, from Hebrew via Greek Ioannes); Donna does not have one recorded yet.
- Donna and Joanne both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Joanne; Donna 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
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
Joanne
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #77 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 recorded1954–1986
Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in New Zealand, in 1969 (recorded 1954–1986).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #1719 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls