Namewise

Heidi vs Jane

Heidi 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 1980, Heidi was ranked #93 and Jane #52 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Heidi was ranked #65 and Jane #288 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1984, Heidi was ranked #87 and Jane #93 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Heidi was ranked #91 and Jane #213 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Heidi was ranked #130 and Jane #1110 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2013, Heidi was ranked #197 and Jane #576 among girls in Norway.

Heidi and Jane over time

Heidi and Jane appear together in 5 published lists, across 177 years of shared records. Heidi held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Jane in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Jane reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Heidi 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, Heidi moved ahead of Jane in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #94 and #81 the year before became #87 and #93.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Heidi and Jane were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #130 and #1110.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Heidi #64 in 1973, Jane #37 in 1971.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls61 shared years, 1945–2013

    Heidi held the stronger position in 59 of those years, Jane in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Heidi #2 in 1965, Jane #73 in 1960.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2013: Heidi #197, Jane #576.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls47 shared years, 1968–2025

    Heidi held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Jane in 32.

    Highest recorded here: Heidi #74 in 2019, Jane #64 in 1995.

    The order changed in 2011: Heidi moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #113 and #107; by 2011 that had become #120 and #124.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Heidi #91, Jane #213.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Heidi held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Jane in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Heidi #76 in 2016, Jane #316 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Heidi #130, Jane #1110.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls25 shared years, 1997–2024

    Heidi held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Jane in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Heidi #48 in 2021, Jane #80 in 2000.

    The order changed in 2007: Heidi moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #184 and #170; by 2007 that had become #162 and #190.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Heidi #65, Jane #288.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls14 shared years, 1971–1984

    Heidi held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Jane in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Heidi #64 in 1973, Jane #37 in 1971.

    The order changed in 1984: Heidi moved ahead. In 1983 they stood at #94 and #81; by 1984 that had become #87 and #93.

    Most recent shared year, 1984: Heidi #87, Jane #93.

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 Heidi

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

Other comparisons involving Jane

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

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — close in one country, far apart in another.

All close in one country, far apart in another→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Heidi, Jane
FieldHeidiJane
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningA German diminutive of Adelheid. Gained wide recognition through Johanna Spyri's 1880 children's novel Heidi, and its 1937 film adaptation starring Shirley Temple.Not yet recorded
OriginGermanic, diminutive of AdelheidNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈhaɪ̯.di/Not yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #91 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #213 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Heidi has a recorded origin (Germanic, diminutive of Adelheid); Jane does not have one recorded yet.
  • Heidi and Jane both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Heidi; Jane doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Heidi

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #188 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Norway, in 1965 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #130 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Jane

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–1984

    Highest recorded position: #25 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1966 (recorded 1952–1984).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1110 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls