Namewise

Donna vs Lisa

Donna and Lisacompared 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 Zealand · Girls

    In 1984, Donna was ranked #90 and Lisa #6 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1982, Donna was ranked #79 and Lisa #10 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2004, Donna was ranked #372 and Lisa #155 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Donna was ranked #736 and Lisa #320 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Donna was ranked #5891 and Lisa #795 among girls in England and Wales.

Donna and Lisa over time

Donna and Lisa appear together in 4 published lists, across 130 years of shared records. Lisa held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Donna in 0.

The order between them changed and held in 3 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 3 of those lists, and Lisa 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.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1966, Lisa moved ahead of Donna in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #5 and #9 the year before became #5 and #4.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 24 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Donna and Lisa averaged 27.6 places apart, ending at #79 and #10.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Donna and Lisa were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 54 years, from 1964 to 2024, ending at #736 and #320.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Donna #441 in 1996, Lisa #105 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls54 shared years, 1964–2024

    Donna held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Lisa in 52.

    Highest recorded here: Donna #33 in 1982, Lisa #3 in 1984.

    The order changed in 1966: Lisa moved ahead. In 1965 they stood at #152 and #209; by 1966 that had become #164 and #154.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Donna #736, Lisa #320.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Donna held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lisa in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Donna #441 in 1996, Lisa #105 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Donna #5891, Lisa #795.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls24 shared years, 1959–1982

    Donna held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Lisa in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Donna #5 in 1964, Lisa #2 in 1968.

    The order changed in 1966: Lisa moved ahead. In 1965 they stood at #5 and #9; by 1966 that had become #5 and #4.

    Most recent shared year, 1982: Donna #79, Lisa #10.

  • New Zealand · Girls23 shared years, 1962–1984

    Donna held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Lisa in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Donna #6 in 1965, Lisa #1 in 1968.

    The order changed in 1966: Lisa moved ahead. In 1965 they stood at #6 and #31; by 1966 that had become #11 and #7.

    Most recent shared year, 1984: Donna #90, Lisa #6.

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.

Other comparisons involving Lisa

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

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1980s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1980 and 1989.

The 1980s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Donna, Lisa
FieldDonnaLisa
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedA short form of Elizabeth, often used independently — notably the name of the subject of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa.
OriginNot yet recordedHebrew, short form of Elizabeth
Pronunciation/ˈliː.sə/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #736 (2024)Norway · Girls #174 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Lisa has a recorded origin (Hebrew, short form of Elizabeth); Donna does not have one recorded yet.
  • Donna and Lisa both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Lisa; 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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1953–1982

    Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1964 (recorded 1953–1982).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #5891 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Girls

Lisa

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #330 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1962–1997

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 1968 (recorded 1962–1997).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #661 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls