Ellen vs Jenny
Ellen and Jennycompared 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, Ellen was ranked #208 and Jenny #29 among girls in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2019, Ellen was ranked #157 and Jenny #424 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ellen was ranked #166 and Jenny #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ellen was ranked #736 and Jenny #1491 among girls in England and Wales.
Ellen and Jenny over time
Ellen and Jenny appear together in 4 published lists, across 183 years of shared records. Ellen held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Jenny 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.
Jenny reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Ellen 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 1992, Jenny moved ahead of Ellen in Norway · Girls — #114 and #115 the year before became #122 and #90.
- Longest-running competitions
Ellen and Jenny were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #208 and #29.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Ellen #63 in 1996, Jenny #256 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Girls81 shared years, 1945–2025
Ellen held the stronger position in 47 of those years, Jenny in 34.
Highest recorded here: Ellen #15 in 1955, Jenny #13 in 2015.
The order changed in 1992: Jenny moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #114 and #115; by 1992 that had become #122 and #90.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellen #208, Jenny #29.
Republic of Ireland · Girls53 shared years, 1972–2025
Ellen held the stronger position in 53 of those years, Jenny in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ellen #23 in 2002, Jenny #184 in 1993.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellen #166, Jenny #885.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ellen held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Jenny in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ellen #63 in 1996, Jenny #256 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ellen #736, Jenny #1491.
Northern Ireland · Girls20 shared years, 1997–2019
Ellen held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Jenny in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ellen #21 in 2000, Jenny #119 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Ellen #157, Jenny #424.
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 | Ellen | Jenny |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | ||
| Syllables | 2 | 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, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #166 (2025) | Norway · Girls #29 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ellen and Jenny both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Ellen
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #29 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: #15 among girls in Norway, in 1955 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #208 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls
Jenny
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #190 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: #13 among girls in Norway, in 2015 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #29 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls