Elizabeth vs Lauren
Elizabeth and Laurencompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2012, Elizabeth was ranked #40 and Lauren #97 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2012, Elizabeth was ranked #45 and Lauren #93 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Elizabeth was ranked #74 and Lauren #1166 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Elizabeth was ranked #76 and Lauren #118 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Elizabeth was ranked #113 and Lauren #638 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Elizabeth was ranked #124 and Lauren #264 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Elizabeth and Lauren over time
Elizabeth and Lauren appear together in 5 published lists, across 175 years of shared records. Lauren held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Elizabeth in 2.
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.
Elizabeth reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Lauren in 1. 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 took the other's place near the top
In England and Wales · Girls, Elizabeth moved into the top 50 at #36 in 2007 as Lauren fell out of it to #51, having been #38 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2007, Elizabeth moved ahead of Lauren in England and Wales · Girls — #41 and #38 the year before became #36 and #51.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Elizabeth and Lauren changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1978 and 2012, ending at #45 and #93.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 35 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Elizabeth and Lauren averaged 18.1 places apart, ending at #40 and #97.
- Longest-running competitions
Elizabeth and Lauren were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #74 and #1166.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Elizabeth #26 in 1996, Lauren #5 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls49 shared years, 1971–2025
Elizabeth held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Lauren in 32.
Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #7 in 1971, Lauren #6 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Elizabeth #76, Lauren #118.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls35 shared years, 1977–2012
Elizabeth held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Lauren in 25.
Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #15 in 1986, Lauren #5 in 1984.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Elizabeth #40, Lauren #97.
New Zealand · Girls34 shared years, 1978–2012
Elizabeth held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Lauren in 9.
Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #14 in 1984, Lauren #19 in 1990.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Elizabeth #45, Lauren #93.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Elizabeth held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Lauren in 11.
Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #26 in 1996, Lauren #5 in 1996.
The order changed in 2007: Elizabeth moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #41 and #38; by 2007 that had become #36 and #51.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Elizabeth #74, Lauren #1166.
Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2023
Elizabeth held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Lauren in 21.
Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #55 in 1997, Lauren #2 in 2001.
The order changed in 2018: Elizabeth moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #110 and #99; by 2018 that had become #101 and #151.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Elizabeth #124, Lauren #264.
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 | Elizabeth | Lauren |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | From the Greek Elisabet, from Hebrew Elisheva, combining 'el' (God) with 'shava' ('oath') — 'my God is an oath'. Appears in the Old Testament as Elisheba, Aaron's wife, and in the New Testament as the mother of John the Baptist. | A variant/feminine form of Laurence, tracing to the place name Laurentum. First popularized as a feminine name by actress Lauren Bacall (born Betty Jean Perske). |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Latin (place name origin), via a modern stage-name |
| Pronunciation | /ɪ.ˈlɪz.ə.bəθ/ | /ˈlɔɹ.ən/ |
| Syllables | 4 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #74 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #118 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 65/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 70/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Elizabeth is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Lauren is recorded with a Latin (place name origin), via a modern stage-name origin.
- Elizabeth has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Lauren.
- Elizabeth's recorded meaning differs from Lauren's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Elizabeth
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #341 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: #5 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1969 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #74 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Lauren
Popularity journey
First recorded1971
First recorded at #466 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1971 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2023
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2001 (recorded 1997–2023).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #1166 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls