Eileen vs Lesley

Eileen and Lesleycompared 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 2002, Eileen was ranked #238 and Lesley #512 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 1999, Eileen was ranked #344 and Lesley #259 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Eileen was ranked #855 and Lesley #3695 among girls in England and Wales.

Eileen and Lesley over time

Eileen and Lesley appear together in 2 published lists, across 60 years of shared records. Eileen held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Lesley in 0.

The order between them changed and held in one 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.

Repeatedly exchanged positions
Eileen and Lesley changed places 7 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #855 and #3695.
Longest-running competitions
Eileen and Lesley were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 36 years, from 1964 to 2002, ending at #238 and #512.

List by list

Republic of Ireland · Girls36 shared years, 1964–2002
Eileen held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Lesley in 0.
Highest recorded here: Eileen #17 in 1964, Lesley #133 in 1968.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2002: Eileen #238, Lesley #512.
England and Wales · Girls24 shared years, 1996–2024
Eileen held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Lesley in 6.
Highest recorded here: Eileen #855 in 2024, Lesley #671 in 1996.
The order changed in 2005: Eileen moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #1617 and #1252; by 2005 that had become #1165 and #1243.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Eileen #855, Lesley #3695.

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 Eileen

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

Geraldine vs Eileen
In 1964 they stood at #9 and #17 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 8 places apart; by 2021 they were #883 and #322.
Geraldine · Eileen · 51 shared years, 1964–2021 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2021 Republic of Ireland ranking
Pauline vs Eileen
In 1964 they stood at #12 and #17 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2018 they were #896 and #336.
Pauline · Eileen · 45 shared years, 1964–2018 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2018 Republic of Ireland ranking
Eileen vs Carmel
In 1964 they stood at #17 and #21 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 4 places apart; by 2015 they were #362 and #896.
Eileen · Carmel · 46 shared years, 1964–2015 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2015 Republic of Ireland ranking
Deirdre vs Eileen
In 1964 they stood at #14 and #17 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2019 they were #871 and #421.
Deirdre · Eileen · 51 shared years, 1964–2019 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2019 Republic of Ireland ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Eileen, Lesley
Field	Eileen	Lesley
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	GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Girls #443 (2025)	England and Wales · Girls #3695 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	88/100	88/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Eileen and Lesley both have 2 syllables.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.

How each name got here

Eileen

Popularity journey

First recorded1945
First recorded at #324 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #17 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #501 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls

Lesley

Popularity journey

First recorded1952
First recorded at #34 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 recorded1952–1967
Highest recorded position: #34 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1967).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #3695 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls