Harriet vs Janet
Harriet and Janetcompared 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, Harriet was ranked #68 and Janet #3318 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2018, Harriet was ranked #235 and Janet #896 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 1999, Harriet was ranked #291 and Janet #344 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 1987, Harriet was ranked #656 and Janet #659 among girls in Norway.
Harriet and Janet over time
Harriet and Janet appear together in 3 published lists, across 91 years of shared records. Janet held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Harriet 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.
Janet reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Harriet in 1. 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
Harriet and Janet changed places 8 times in Norway · Girls between 1947 and 1987, ending at #656 and #659.
- Longest-running competitions
Harriet and Janet were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 32 years, from 1947 to 1987, ending at #656 and #659.
List by list
Norway · Girls32 shared years, 1947–1987
Harriet held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Janet in 18.
Highest recorded here: Harriet #177 in 1954, Janet #239 in 1958.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1987: Harriet #656, Janet #659.
Republic of Ireland · Girls30 shared years, 1966–2018
Harriet held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Janet in 25.
Highest recorded here: Harriet #235 in 2018, Janet #86 in 1966.
The order changed in 2010: Harriet moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #443 and #406; by 2010 that had become #422 and #910.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Harriet #235, Janet #896.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Harriet held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Janet in 0.
Highest recorded here: Harriet #45 in 2018, Janet #1031 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Harriet #68, Janet #3318.
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 | Harriet | Janet |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #91 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #3318 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Harriet and Janet both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Harriet
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #213 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #45 among girls in England and Wales, in 2018 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #91 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Janet
Popularity journey
First recorded1947
First recorded at #308 among girls in Norway in 1947 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1954–1966
Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1966).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #3318 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls