Donna vs Karen
Donna and Karencompared 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 Karen #41 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1984, Donna was ranked #90 and Karen #89 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2004, Donna was ranked #372 and Karen #273 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2017, Donna was ranked #873 and Karen #471 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Donna was ranked #5891 and Karen #4843 among girls in England and Wales.
Donna and Karen over time
Donna and Karen appear together in 4 published lists, across 140 years of shared records. Karen held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Donna in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Karen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Donna 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.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Donna and Karen averaged 26.5 places apart, ending at #79 and #41.
- Longest-running competitions
Donna and Karen were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 30 years, from 1953 to 1982, ending at #79 and #41.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Donna #441 in 1996, Karen #417 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls51 shared years, 1964–2017
Donna held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Karen in 49.
Highest recorded here: Donna #33 in 1982, Karen #5 in 1977.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Donna #873, Karen #471.
New Zealand · Girls31 shared years, 1954–1984
Donna held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Karen in 31.
Highest recorded here: Donna #6 in 1965, Karen #1 in 1957.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1984: Donna #90, Karen #89.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls30 shared years, 1953–1982
Donna held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Karen in 30.
Highest recorded here: Donna #5 in 1964, Karen #1 in 1963.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1982: Donna #79, Karen #41.
England and Wales · Girls28 shared years, 1996–2024
Donna held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Karen in 28.
Highest recorded here: Donna #441 in 1996, Karen #417 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Donna #5891, Karen #4843.
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 | Karen |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #736 (2024) | Norway · Girls #442 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Donna and Karen both have 2 syllables.
- 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
Karen
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #70 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1986
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1963 (recorded 1952–1986).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2440 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls