Erin vs Lisa
Erin and Lisacompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2019, Erin was ranked #23 and Lisa #336 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1997, Erin was ranked #47 and Lisa #100 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1995, Erin was ranked #95 and Lisa #71 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Erin was ranked #71 and Lisa #443 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Erin was ranked #72 and Lisa #661 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Erin was ranked #72 and Lisa #790 among girls in Scotland.
Erin and Lisa over time
Erin and Lisa appear together in 5 published lists, across 138 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Lisa reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Erin 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.
- One took the other's place near the top
In New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Erin moved into the top 50 at #37 in 1993 as Lisa fell out of it to #59, having been #35 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1993, Erin moved ahead of Lisa in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #39 and #35 the year before became #37 and #59.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Erin and Lisa averaged 22.1 places apart, ending at #47 and #100.
- Longest-running competitions
Erin and Lisa were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #72 and #661.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #100 and #105 in England and Wales · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #72 and #661.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls50 shared years, 1975–2025
Erin held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Lisa in 25.
Highest recorded here: Erin #34 in 2006, Lisa #3 in 1984.
The order changed in 2001: Erin moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #49 and #47; by 2001 that had become #47 and #55.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Erin #71, Lisa #443.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Erin held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Lisa in 0.
Highest recorded here: Erin #27 in 2007, Lisa #105 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Erin #72, Lisa #661.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls21 shared years, 1977–1997
Erin held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Lisa in 16.
Highest recorded here: Erin #11 in 1984, Lisa #5 in 1978.
The order changed in 1993: Erin moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #39 and #35; by 1993 that had become #37 and #59.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Erin #47, Lisa #100.
New Zealand · Girls20 shared years, 1975–1995
Erin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lisa in 20.
Highest recorded here: Erin #36 in 1984, Lisa #4 in 1975.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1995: Erin #95, Lisa #71.
Northern Ireland · Girls17 shared years, 1997–2019
Erin held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Lisa in 0.
Highest recorded here: Erin #5 in 2009, Lisa #63 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Erin #23, Lisa #336.
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 | Erin | Lisa |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | An Anglicized form of Éireann, the Irish name for Ireland itself. | A short form of Elizabeth, often used independently — notably the name of the subject of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. |
| Origin | Irish | Hebrew, short form of Elizabeth |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛɹ.ɪn/ | /ˈliː.sə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #71 (2025) | Norway · Girls #174 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Erin is recorded with a Irish origin, while Lisa is recorded with a Hebrew, short form of Elizabeth origin.
- Erin and Lisa both have 2 syllables.
- Erin's recorded meaning differs from Lisa'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
Erin
Popularity journey
First recorded1975
First recorded at #89 among girls in New Zealand in 1975 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2009 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #72 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Lisa
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #330 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1962–1997
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 1968 (recorded 1962–1997).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #661 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls