Namewise

Holly vs Jennifer

Holly and Jennifercompared 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 2003, Holly was ranked #16 and Jennifer #84 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2003, Holly was ranked #19 and Jennifer #88 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Holly was ranked #69 and Jennifer #413 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Holly was ranked #79 and Jennifer #384 among girls in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2022, Holly was ranked #93 and Jennifer #354 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Holly was ranked #169 and Jennifer #650 among girls in England and Wales.

Holly and Jennifer over time

Holly and Jennifer appear together in 5 published lists, across 139 years of shared records. Holly held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Jennifer in 1.

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.

Jennifer reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Holly 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 took the other's place near the top

    In New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Holly moved into the top 50 at #49 in 1995 as Jennifer fell out of it to #77, having been #45 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1995, Holly moved ahead of Jennifer in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #52 and #45 the year before became #49 and #77.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Holly and Jennifer averaged 37.6 places apart, ending at #19 and #88.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Holly and Jennifer were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #169 and #650.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1997 they stood at #46 and #55 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2022 they were #93 and #354.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls46 shared years, 1976–2025

    Holly held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Jennifer in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Holly #11 in 2010, Jennifer #4 in 1981.

    The order changed in 2003: Holly moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #35 and #34; by 2003 that had become #28 and #43.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Holly #69, Jennifer #413.

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

    Holly held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Jennifer in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Holly #12 in 2002, Jennifer #54 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Holly #169, Jennifer #650.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 1997–2022

    Holly held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Jennifer in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Holly #22 in 2003, Jennifer #55 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Holly #93, Jennifer #354.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls21 shared years, 1983–2003

    Holly held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Jennifer in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Holly #19 in 2003, Jennifer #19 in 1983.

    The order changed in 1995: Holly moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #52 and #45; by 1995 that had become #49 and #77.

    Most recent shared year, 2003: Holly #19, Jennifer #88.

  • New Zealand · Girls20 shared years, 1983–2003

    Holly held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Jennifer in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Holly #16 in 1994, Jennifer #16 in 1983.

    The order changed in 1989: Holly moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #36 and #32; by 1989 that had become #37 and #54.

    Most recent shared year, 2003: Holly #16, Jennifer #84.

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 Holly

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

Other comparisons involving Jennifer

Pairs where Jennifer 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 — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

Pairs measured inside New Zealand's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2000s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2000 and 2009.

The 2000s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Holly, Jennifer
FieldHollyJennifer
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedFrom a Cornish form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar (Guinevere), combining 'gwyn' and 'hwyfar'. Confined mainly to Cornwall until George Bernard Shaw's 1906 play The Doctor's Dilemma sparked wider adoption.
OriginNot yet recordedWelsh, via Cornish transmission
Pronunciation/ˈd͡ʒɛn.ɪ.fəɹ/
Syllables23
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #69 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #413 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10076/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Jennifer has a recorded origin (Welsh, via Cornish transmission); Holly does not have one recorded yet.
  • Holly has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Jennifer.
  • A meaning is recorded for Jennifer; Holly doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Holly

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1976

    First recorded at #392 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1976 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1976–2025

    Highest recorded position: #11 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2010 (recorded 1976–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #169 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Jennifer

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #331 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1952–2003

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1956 (recorded 1952–2003).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #650 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls