Namewise

Elizabeth vs Patricia

Elizabeth and Patriciacompared 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 1984, Elizabeth was ranked #16 and Patricia #98 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1978, Elizabeth was ranked #20 and Patricia #85 among girls in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Elizabeth was ranked #74 and Patricia #1407 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Elizabeth was ranked #76 and Patricia #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2020, Elizabeth was ranked #140 and Patricia #333 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2017, Elizabeth was ranked #351 and Patricia #544 among girls in Norway.

Elizabeth and Patricia over time

Elizabeth and Patricia appear together in 6 published lists, across 220 years of shared records. Elizabeth held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Patricia 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.

Patricia 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 1955, Elizabeth moved ahead of Patricia in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #15 and #10 the year before became #11 and #16.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 29 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Elizabeth and Patricia averaged 28.1 places apart, ending at #16 and #98.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Elizabeth and Patricia were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #74 and #1407.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Elizabeth #26 in 1996, Patricia #443 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1964 they stood at #6 and #10 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 4 places apart; by 2025 they were #76 and #608.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls63 shared years, 1946–2017

    Elizabeth held the stronger position in 61 of those years, Patricia in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #154 in 1968, Patricia #264 in 1966.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2017: Elizabeth #351, Patricia #544.

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

    Elizabeth held the stronger position in 62 of those years, Patricia in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #5 in 1969, Patricia #8 in 1965.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Elizabeth #76, Patricia #608.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #26 in 1996, Patricia #443 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Elizabeth #74, Patricia #1407.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls29 shared years, 1952–1984

    Elizabeth held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Patricia in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #10 in 1952, Patricia #8 in 1952.

    The order changed in 1955: Elizabeth moved ahead. In 1954 they stood at #15 and #10; by 1955 that had become #11 and #16.

    Most recent shared year, 1984: Elizabeth #16, Patricia #98.

  • New Zealand · Girls23 shared years, 1954–1978

    Elizabeth held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Patricia in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #7 in 1954, Patricia #7 in 1955.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1978: Elizabeth #20, Patricia #85.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls13 shared years, 1997–2020

    Elizabeth held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Patricia in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #55 in 1997, Patricia #139 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2020: Elizabeth #140, Patricia #333.

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 Patricia

Pairs where Patricia 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 — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

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

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Elizabeth, Patricia
FieldElizabethPatricia
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/
Syllables43
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, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Girls #74 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)65/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)70/10076/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Elizabeth has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Patricia does not have one recorded yet.
  • Elizabeth has 4 syllables, compared with 3 for Patricia.
  • A meaning is recorded for Elizabeth; Patricia doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, 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

Patricia

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #385 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1954–1978

    Highest recorded position: #7 among girls in New Zealand, in 1955 (recorded 1954–1978).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1407 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls