Frances vs Jill
Frances and Jillcompared 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.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1959, Frances was ranked #70 and Jill #100 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1959, Frances was ranked #73 and Jill #100 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2006, Frances was ranked #384 and Jill #332 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2012, Frances was ranked #493 and Jill #5876 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2021, Frances was ranked #661 and Jill #586 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Frances and Jill over time
Frances and Jill appear together in 2 published lists, across 60 years of shared records. Frances held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Jill 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.
Frances reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Jill 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Frances and Jill changed places 9 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2021, ending at #661 and #586.
- Longest-running competitions
Frances and Jill were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 49 years, from 1964 to 2021, ending at #661 and #586.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Frances #161 in 1996, Jill #1914 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls49 shared years, 1964–2021
Frances held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Jill in 12.
Highest recorded here: Frances #38 in 1964, Jill #171 in 1977.
The order changed in 2021: Jill moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #579 and #873; by 2021 that had become #661 and #586.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Frances #661, Jill #586.
England and Wales · Girls11 shared years, 1996–2012
Frances held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Jill in 0.
Highest recorded here: Frances #161 in 1996, Jill #1914 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Frances #493, Jill #5876.
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 | Jill |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 1 |
| 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, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #425 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #747 (2022) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Frances has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Jill.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
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
Jill
Popularity journey
First recorded1948
First recorded at #376 among girls in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1959
Highest recorded position: #62 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1959).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2022
Most recently recorded at #747 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2022.
Republic of Ireland · Girls