Helen vs Sharon
Helen and Sharoncompared 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 1981, Helen was ranked #38 and Sharon #78 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1982, Helen was ranked #84 and Sharon #88 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Girls
In 2001, Helen was ranked #306 and Sharon #512 among girls in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2010, Helen was ranked #324 and Sharon #366 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2020, Helen was ranked #336 and Sharon #834 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Helen was ranked #541 and Sharon #638 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Helen was ranked #885 and Sharon #2000 among girls in England and Wales.
Helen and Sharon over time
Helen and Sharon appear together in 5 published lists, across 166 years of shared records. Helen held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Sharon in 2.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Helen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Sharon 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Helen and Sharon changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1952 and 1982, ending at #84 and #88.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 31 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Helen and Sharon averaged 18.8 places apart, ending at #84 and #88.
- Longest-running competitions
Helen and Sharon were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 31 years, from 1952 to 1982, ending at #84 and #88.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Helen #108 in 1996, Sharon #539 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls55 shared years, 1964–2020
Helen held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Sharon in 28.
Highest recorded here: Helen #11 in 1966, Sharon #5 in 1970.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Helen #336, Sharon #834.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls31 shared years, 1952–1982
Helen held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Sharon in 23.
Highest recorded here: Helen #9 in 1952, Sharon #2 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1982: Helen #84, Sharon #88.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Helen held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Sharon in 0.
Highest recorded here: Helen #108 in 1996, Sharon #539 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Helen #885, Sharon #2000.
New Zealand · Girls28 shared years, 1954–1981
Helen held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Sharon in 13.
Highest recorded here: Helen #12 in 1958, Sharon #5 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1981: Helen #38, Sharon #78.
Norway · Girls23 shared years, 1961–2001
Helen held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Sharon in 0.
Highest recorded here: Helen #93 in 1970, Sharon #354 in 1980.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2001: Helen #306, Sharon #512.
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 | Helen | Sharon |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The English form of Greek Helene. The meaning is genuinely debated among scholars — likely from Greek 'helene' ('torch'), though some suggest a connection to 'selene' ('moon'). In mythology, Helen's abduction by Paris sparked the Trojan War; the name's continued Christian use stems from Saint Helena. | From a Hebrew place name — a fertile plain on the central west coast of Israel, also referenced in the biblical 'rose of Sharon' flowering plant. Used as a feminine given name in English since the 1920s. |
| Origin | Greek, meaning disputed | Biblical Hebrew (place name origin) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈhɛl.ən/ | /ˈʃæɹ.ən/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Helena, Helene, Ellen, Elena | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #381 (2025) | Scotland · Girls #638 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Helen is recorded with a Greek, meaning disputed origin, while Sharon is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew (place name origin) origin.
- Helen and Sharon both have 2 syllables.
- Helen's recorded meaning differs from Sharon's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Helen a "high" Data Confidence level and Sharon a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Helen
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #149 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1982
Highest recorded position: #9 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1982).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #438 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls
Sharon
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #47 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 recorded1952–1982
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1965 (recorded 1952–1982).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2000 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls