Elise vs Lena
Elise and Lenacompared 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.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Elise was ranked #63 and Lena #294 among girls in Norway.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Elise was ranked #188 and Lena #207 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Elise was ranked #381 and Lena #266 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Elise was ranked #335 and Lena #288 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Elise was ranked #337 and Lena #288 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Elise and Lena over time
Elise and Lena appear together in 4 published lists, across 165 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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 2 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 2012, Lena moved ahead of Elise in England and Wales · Girls — #143 and #151 the year before became #146 and #137.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Elise and Lena changed places 6 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 2001 and 2024, ending at #337 and #288.
- Mirrored each other
Over 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Lena rose about as far as Elise fell — from #175 and #823 in 1996 to #335 and #288 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Elise and Lena were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #335 and #288.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Elise #132 in 2014, Lena #71 in 2012.
List by list
Norway · Girls81 shared years, 1945–2025
Elise held the stronger position in 47 of those years, Lena in 34.
Highest recorded here: Elise #23 in 2001, Lena #20 in 1969.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Elise #63, Lena #294.
Republic of Ireland · Girls35 shared years, 1983–2025
Elise held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Lena in 27.
Highest recorded here: Elise #132 in 2014, Lena #71 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Elise #381, Lena #266.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Elise held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Lena in 14.
Highest recorded here: Elise #96 in 2002, Lena #128 in 2013.
The order changed in 2012: Lena moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #143 and #151; by 2012 that had become #146 and #137.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Elise #335, Lena #288.
Northern Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 2001–2024
Elise held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Lena in 15.
Highest recorded here: Elise #147 in 2003, Lena #131 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Elise #337, Lena #288.
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 | Elise | Lena |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A short form of Elizabeth, used across Germanic and Scandinavian languages. | A short form of names ending in '-lena', such as Helena, Magdalena or Yelena — widely used independently. |
| Origin | Hebrew, via German/Scandinavian transmission | Used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and German traditions |
| Pronunciation | /eˈliː.seh/ | /ˈleː.na/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #63 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #266 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Elise is recorded with a Hebrew, via German/Scandinavian transmission origin, while Lena is recorded with a Used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and German traditions origin.
- Elise has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Lena.
- Elise's recorded meaning differs from Lena's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Elise
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #223 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #23 among girls in Norway, in 2001 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #335 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Lena
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #346 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #20 among girls in Norway, in 1969 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #288 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls