Namewise

Elizabeth vs Mary

Elizabeth and Marycompared 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 1991, Elizabeth was ranked #25 and Mary #89 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2008, Elizabeth was ranked #32 and Mary #99 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Elizabeth was ranked #74 and Mary #329 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Elizabeth was ranked #76 and Mary #112 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Elizabeth was ranked #87 and Mary #134 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Elizabeth was ranked #113 and Mary #315 among girls in Scotland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2024, Elizabeth was ranked #484 and Mary #468 among girls in Norway.

Elizabeth and Mary over time

Elizabeth and Mary appear together in 6 published lists, across 261 years of shared records. Elizabeth held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Mary in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Mary reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Elizabeth 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 moved ahead of the other

    In 1956, Elizabeth moved ahead of Mary in New Zealand · Girls — #11 and #8 the year before became #7 and #11.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Elizabeth and Mary changed places 11 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2024, ending at #87 and #134.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 31 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Elizabeth and Mary averaged 34.1 places apart, ending at #32 and #99.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Elizabeth and Mary were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #74 and #329.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Elizabeth #26 in 1996, Mary #118 in 1997.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls73 shared years, 1945–2024

    Elizabeth held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Mary in 55.

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #154 in 1968, Mary #59 in 1947.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Elizabeth #484, Mary #468.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Elizabeth held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Mary in 48.

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #5 in 1969, Mary #1 in 1964.

    The order changed in 2019: Elizabeth moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #91 and #58; by 2019 that had become #82 and #92.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Elizabeth #76, Mary #112.

  • New Zealand · Girls37 shared years, 1954–1991

    Elizabeth held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Mary in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #7 in 1954, Mary #6 in 1954.

    The order changed in 1956: Elizabeth moved ahead. In 1955 they stood at #11 and #8; by 1956 that had become #7 and #11.

    Most recent shared year, 1991: Elizabeth #25, Mary #89.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls31 shared years, 1952–2008

    Elizabeth held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Mary in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #10 in 1952, Mary #19 in 1952.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2008: Elizabeth #32, Mary #99.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Elizabeth held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Mary in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #26 in 1996, Mary #118 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Elizabeth #74, Mary #329.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Elizabeth held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Mary in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #55 in 1997, Mary #53 in 1997.

    The order changed in 2021: Elizabeth moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #140 and #129; by 2021 that had become #116 and #152.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Elizabeth #87, Mary #134.

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 Elizabeth

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

Other comparisons involving Mary

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

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

Pairs measured inside New Zealand's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1990s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1990 and 1999.

The 1990s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Elizabeth, Mary
FieldElizabethMary
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningFrom 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.Not yet recorded
OriginBiblical HebrewNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ɪ.ˈlɪz.ə.bəθ/Not yet recorded
Syllables42
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Girls #74 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #112 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)65/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)70/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Elizabeth has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Mary does not have one recorded yet.
  • Elizabeth has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Mary.
  • A meaning is recorded for Elizabeth; Mary doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Elizabeth

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1969 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #74 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Mary

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #67 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #329 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls