Ethel vs Lorraine

Ethel and Lorrainecompared 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.

Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2008, Ethel was ranked #862 and Lorraine #597 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ethel was ranked #980 and Lorraine #2115 among girls in England and Wales.

Ethel and Lorraine over time

Ethel and Lorraine appear together in 2 published lists, across 46 years of shared records. Lorraine held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Ethel 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.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.

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.

Mirrored each other
Over 23 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Ethel rose about as far as Lorraine fell — from #3247 and #1195 in 2000 to #980 and #2115 in 2024.

List by list

England and Wales · Girls23 shared years, 2000–2024
Ethel held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Lorraine in 11.
Highest recorded here: Ethel #980 in 2024, Lorraine #1195 in 2000.
The order changed in 2015: Ethel moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #3514 and #2464; by 2015 that had become #1452 and #4736.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ethel #980, Lorraine #2115.
Republic of Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 1964–2008
Ethel held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lorraine in 23.
Highest recorded here: Ethel #217 in 1969, Lorraine #16 in 1978.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Ethel #862, Lorraine #597.

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 Lorraine

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

Sarah vs Lorraine
In 1964 they stood at #46 and #47 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2018 they were #21 and #896.
Sarah · Lorraine · 50 shared years, 1964–2018 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2018 Republic of Ireland ranking
Lorraine vs Alice
In 1964 they stood at #47 and #57 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 10 places apart; by 2018 they were #896 and #33.
Lorraine · Alice · 50 shared years, 1964–2018 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2018 Republic of Ireland ranking
Lorraine vs Julia
In 1964 they stood at #47 and #42 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2018 they were #896 and #46.
Lorraine · Julia · 50 shared years, 1964–2018 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2018 Republic of Ireland ranking
Lorraine vs Orla
In 1964 they stood at #47 and #52 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2018 they were #896 and #169.
Lorraine · Orla · 50 shared years, 1964–2018 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2018 Republic of Ireland ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Ethel, Lorraine
Field	Ethel	Lorraine
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	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Syllables	2	3
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	GB-ENW, IE	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Girls #412 (2024)	England and Wales · Girls #2115 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	94/100	76/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	60/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Ethel has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Lorraine.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.

How each name got here

Ethel

Popularity journey

First recorded1964
First recorded at #222 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2024
Highest recorded position: #217 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1969 (recorded 1964–2024).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #980 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls

Lorraine

Popularity journey

First recorded1952
First recorded at #27 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2018
Highest recorded position: #14 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1979 (recorded 1964–2018).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2115 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls