Frances vs Ida
Frances and Idacompared 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 2024, Frances was ranked #425 and Ida #337 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Frances was ranked #541 and Ida #384 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2016, Frances was ranked #440 and Ida #440 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Frances was ranked #856 and Ida #625 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Frances and Ida over time
Frances and Ida appear together in 2 published lists, across 42 years of shared records. Frances held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Ida in 0.
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.
Frances reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Ida 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.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Frances #38 in 1964, Ida #325 in 1965.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Frances held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Ida in 10.
Highest recorded here: Frances #161 in 1996, Ida #257 in 2021.
The order changed in 2015: Ida moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #503 and #516; by 2015 that had become #461 and #361.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Frances #425, Ida #337.
Republic of Ireland · Girls13 shared years, 1964–2023
Frances held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Ida in 5.
Highest recorded here: Frances #38 in 1964, Ida #325 in 1965.
The order changed in 2008: Ida moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #124 and #518; by 2008 that had become #546 and #546.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Frances #856, Ida #625.
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 | Frances | Ida |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Commonly traced to a Germanic element possibly meaning 'work' or 'labour'. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Germanic, used across Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and German tradition |
| Pronunciation | /ˈiːdɑ/ | |
| 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 | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #425 (2024) | Norway · Girls #37 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ida has a recorded origin (Germanic, used across Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and German tradition); Frances does not have one recorded yet.
- Frances and Ida both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Ida; Frances doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Frances
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #64 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 recorded1964–2023
Highest recorded position: #38 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2023).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #425 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls
Ida
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #204 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: #1 among girls in Norway, in 1988 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #37 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls