Dorothy vs Lois
Dorothy and Loiscompared 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 1957, Dorothy was ranked #95 and Lois #91 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Dorothy was ranked #199 and Lois #460 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Dorothy was ranked #302 and Lois #237 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Dorothy was ranked #544 and Lois #718 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Dorothy and Lois over time
Dorothy and Lois appear together in 2 published lists, across 41 years of shared records. Lois held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Dorothy 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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.
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 2019, Dorothy moved ahead of Lois in England and Wales · Girls — #246 and #215 the year before became #187 and #265.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Dorothy and Lois changed places 5 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 2003 and 2025, ending at #544 and #718.
- Longest-running competitions
Dorothy and Lois were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #199 and #460.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Dorothy held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Lois in 23.
Highest recorded here: Dorothy #175 in 2020, Lois #109 in 2008.
The order changed in 2019: Dorothy moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #246 and #215; by 2019 that had become #187 and #265.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Dorothy #199, Lois #460.
Republic of Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 2003–2025
Dorothy held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Lois in 6.
Highest recorded here: Dorothy #490 in 2003, Lois #474 in 2018.
The order changed in 2025: Dorothy moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #631 and #556; by 2025 that had become #544 and #718.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Dorothy #544, Lois #718.
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 | Dorothy | Lois |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 3 | 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #199 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #460 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Dorothy has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Lois.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Dorothy
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #79 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 recorded1954–1957
Highest recorded position: #75 among girls in New Zealand, in 1956 (recorded 1954–1957).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #199 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Lois
Popularity journey
First recorded1954
First recorded at #82 among girls in New Zealand in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Girls
Highest recorded1954–1957
Highest recorded position: #82 among girls in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1957).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #460 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls