Gemma vs Jane
Gemma and Janecompared 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 Zealand · Girls
In 1988, Gemma was ranked #48 and Jane #96 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1984, Gemma was ranked #73 and Jane #93 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Gemma was ranked #718 and Jane #213 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2016, Gemma was ranked #353 and Jane #353 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Gemma was ranked #1541 and Jane #1160 among girls in England and Wales.
Gemma and Jane over time
Gemma and Jane appear together in 3 published lists, across 110 years of shared records. Gemma held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Jane in 1.
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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Gemma and Jane changed places 5 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2016, ending at #353 and #353.
- Longest-running competitions
Gemma and Jane were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #718 and #213.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Gemma #50 in 1996, Jane #316 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Gemma held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Jane in 46.
Highest recorded here: Gemma #36 in 1992, Jane #59 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Gemma #718, Jane #213.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Gemma held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Jane in 7.
Highest recorded here: Gemma #50 in 1996, Jane #316 in 1996.
The order changed in 2022: Jane moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #1962 and #2341; by 2022 that had become #1685 and #1023.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Gemma #1541, Jane #1160.
Northern Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 1997–2016
Gemma held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Jane in 2.
Highest recorded here: Gemma #35 in 1997, Jane #80 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2016: Gemma #353, Jane #353.
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 | Gemma | Jane |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #718 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #213 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Gemma and Jane both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Gemma
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #149 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 recorded1982–2008
Highest recorded position: #17 among girls in New Zealand, in 1984 (recorded 1982–2008).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #718 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Jane
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #246 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1984
Highest recorded position: #25 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1966 (recorded 1952–1984).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #213 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls