Heather vs Patricia
Heather and Patriciacompared 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 1978, Heather was ranked #83 and Patricia #85 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1984, Heather was ranked #89 and Patricia #98 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2003, Heather was ranked #166 and Patricia #284 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Heather was ranked #325 and Patricia #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Heather was ranked #826 and Patricia #1353 among girls in England and Wales.
Heather and Patricia over time
Heather and Patricia appear together in 4 published lists, across 133 years of shared records. Patricia held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Heather in 1.
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.
Patricia reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Heather 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1984, Heather moved ahead of Patricia in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #94 and #52 the year before became #89 and #98.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Heather and Patricia changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #826 and #1353.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 23 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Heather and Patricia averaged 8.1 places apart, ending at #83 and #85.
- Longest-running competitions
Heather and Patricia were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #325 and #608.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Heather #78 in 1996, Patricia #443 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Heather held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Patricia in 35.
Highest recorded here: Heather #83 in 2003, Patricia #8 in 1965.
The order changed in 2025: Heather moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #898 and #631; by 2025 that had become #325 and #608.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Heather #325, Patricia #608.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Heather held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Patricia in 6.
Highest recorded here: Heather #78 in 1996, Patricia #443 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Heather #826, Patricia #1353.
New Zealand · Girls23 shared years, 1954–1978
Heather held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Patricia in 20.
Highest recorded here: Heather #15 in 1955, Patricia #7 in 1955.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1978: Heather #83, Patricia #85.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls19 shared years, 1952–1984
Heather held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Patricia in 18.
Highest recorded here: Heather #44 in 1954, Patricia #8 in 1952.
The order changed in 1984: Heather moved ahead. In 1983 they stood at #94 and #52; by 1984 that had become #89 and #98.
Most recent shared year, 1984: Heather #89, Patricia #98.
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 | Heather | Patricia |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 3 |
| 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 | Republic of Ireland · Girls #325 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Heather has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Patricia.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Heather
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #45 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 recorded1954–1983
Highest recorded position: #15 among girls in New Zealand, in 1955 (recorded 1954–1983).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #325 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Patricia
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #385 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1954–1978
Highest recorded position: #7 among girls in New Zealand, in 1955 (recorded 1954–1978).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls