Donna vs Neala
Donna and Nealacompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Donna was ranked #736 and Neala #556 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Donna was ranked #5891 and Neala #4843 among girls in England and Wales.
Donna and Neala over time
Donna and Neala appear together in 2 published lists, across 19 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.
Donna reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Neala 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.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 2007–2024
Donna held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Neala in 7.
Highest recorded here: Donna #468 in 2007, Neala #321 in 2014.
The order changed in 2013: Neala moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #510 and #677; by 2013 that had become #894 and #587.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Donna #736, Neala #556.
England and Wales · Girls8 shared years, 2005–2024
Donna held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Neala in 3.
Highest recorded here: Donna #1165 in 2005, Neala #2757 in 2016.
The order changed in 2024: Neala moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #3447 and #4535; by 2024 that had become #5891 and #4843.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Donna #5891, Neala #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.
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 | Neala |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #736 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #443 (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 Neala both have 2 syllables.
- 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
Neala
Popularity journey
First recorded2005
First recorded at #3970 among girls in England and Wales in 2005 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Highest recorded2010–2024
Highest recorded position: #273 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2018 (recorded 2010–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #443 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls