Geraldine vs Nessa

Geraldine and Nessacompared 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 2021, Geraldine was ranked #883 and Nessa #221 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Geraldine was ranked #5891 and Nessa #3695 among girls in England and Wales.

Geraldine and Nessa over time

Geraldine and Nessa appear together in 2 published lists, across 60 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.

Geraldine reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Nessa 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.

Longest-running competitions
Geraldine and Nessa were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 51 years, from 1964 to 2021, ending at #883 and #221.

List by list

Republic of Ireland · Girls51 shared years, 1964–2021
Geraldine held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Nessa in 16.
Highest recorded here: Geraldine #7 in 1965, Nessa #127 in 1975.
The order changed in 1999: Nessa moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #229 and #425; by 1999 that had become #439 and #322.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Geraldine #883, Nessa #221.
England and Wales · Girls9 shared years, 2007–2024
Geraldine held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Nessa in 5.
Highest recorded here: Geraldine #2627 in 2007, Nessa #2163 in 2020.
The order changed in 2014: Nessa moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #3536 and #4050; by 2014 that had become #4684 and #4003.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Geraldine #5891, Nessa #3695.

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 Geraldine

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

Elizabeth vs Geraldine
In 1964 they stood at #6 and #9 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2021 they were #89 and #883.
Elizabeth · Geraldine · 51 shared years, 1964–2021 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2021 Republic of Ireland ranking
Catherine vs Geraldine
In 1964 they stood at #2 and #9 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2021 they were #190 and #883.
Catherine · Geraldine · 51 shared years, 1964–2021 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2021 Republic of Ireland ranking
Margaret vs Geraldine
In 1964 they stood at #3 and #9 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2021 they were #190 and #883.
Margaret · Geraldine · 51 shared years, 1964–2021 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2021 Republic of Ireland ranking
Bridget vs Geraldine
In 1964 they stood at #8 and #9 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2021 they were #228 and #883.
Bridget · Geraldine · 51 shared years, 1964–2021 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2021 Republic of Ireland ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Geraldine, Nessa
Field	Geraldine	Nessa
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	4	2
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE	GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE
Most recent popularity observation	England and Wales · Girls #5891 (2024)	Republic of Ireland · Girls #239 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	70/100	94/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Geraldine has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Nessa.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.

How each name got here

Geraldine

Popularity journey

First recorded1964
First recorded at #9 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 recorded1964–2021
Highest recorded position: #7 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2021).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #5891 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls

Nessa

Popularity journey

First recorded1964
First recorded at #300 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 recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #127 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1975 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #239 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls