Namewise

Elsie vs Jessica

Elsie and Jessicacompared 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.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Elsie was ranked #8 and Jessica #139 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Elsie was ranked #27 and Jessica #127 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Elsie was ranked #31 and Jessica #48 among girls in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Elsie was ranked #55 and Jessica #141 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2017, Elsie was ranked #67 and Jessica #96 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2019, Elsie was ranked #77 and Jessica #85 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Elsie was ranked #371 and Jessica #474 among girls in Norway.

Elsie and Jessica over time

Elsie and Jessica appear together in 3 published lists, across 71 years of shared records. Jessica held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Elsie in 0.

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.

Jessica reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Elsie in none. 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.

List by list

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

    Elsie held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Jessica in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Elsie #8 in 2025, Jessica #1 in 2005.

    The order changed in 2018: Elsie moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #28 and #15; by 2018 that had become #22 and #25.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Elsie #8, Jessica #139.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls24 shared years, 1973–2025

    Elsie held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Jessica in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Elsie #55 in 2025, Jessica #17 in 2002.

    The order changed in 2023: Elsie moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #84 and #62; by 2023 that had become #76 and #103.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Elsie #55, Jessica #141.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls17 shared years, 2007–2024

    Elsie held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Jessica in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Elsie #27 in 2024, Jessica #5 in 2012.

    The order changed in 2022: Elsie moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #52 and #38; by 2022 that had become #34 and #62.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Elsie #27, Jessica #127.

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 Elsie

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

  • Elsie vs Aria

    Elsie and Aria both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; New South Wales, Australia · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Elsie · Aria · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Harper vs Elsie

    Harper and Elsie both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; New South Wales, Australia · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Harper · Elsie · 24 shared years, 2001–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Mila vs Elsie

    Mila and Elsie both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; New South Wales, Australia · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Mila · Elsie · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Sophia vs Elsie

    Sophia and Elsie both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; New South Wales, Australia · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Sophia · Elsie · 31 shared years, 1973–2025 · Moved together in several countries

Other comparisons involving Jessica

Pairs where Jessica 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 took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Northern 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.

Northern 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 Elsie, Jessica
FieldElsieJessica
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningShares the root meaning of Elizabeth: 'my God is an oath', inherited via the Scots form Elspeth.Coined by William Shakespeare for his 1596 play The Merchant of Venice, where it belongs to Shylock's daughter — likely based on the biblical name Iscah, also spelled Jescha/Jischa in some translations of Shakespeare's time.
OriginScottish, via ElizabethBiblical Hebrew, via a Shakespearean literary coinage
Pronunciation/ˈɛlsi//ˈd͡ʒɛs.ɪ.kə/
Syllables23
Common variants / nicknamesElspethNot 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 #8 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #139 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Elsie is recorded with a Scottish, via Elizabeth origin, while Jessica is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via a Shakespearean literary coinage origin.
  • Elsie has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Jessica.
  • Elsie's recorded meaning differs from Jessica's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Elsie a "high" Data Confidence level and Jessica a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Elsie

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #301 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 recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #8 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Jessica

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #471 among girls in Norway in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2005 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #139 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls