Namewise

Ida vs Marilyn

Ida and Marilyncompared 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 2025, Ida was ranked #342 and Marilyn #1719 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2023, Ida was ranked #625 and Marilyn #856 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Ida and Marilyn over time

Ida and Marilyn appear together in 2 published lists, across 35 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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.

Ida reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Marilyn 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.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Girls27 shared years, 19962025

    Ida held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Marilyn in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Ida #257 in 2021, Marilyn #1541 in 2024.

    The order changed in 1998: Ida moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #3126 and #2683; by 1998 that had become #2165 and #2701.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ida #342, Marilyn #1719.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls8 shared years, 19702023

    Ida held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Marilyn in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Ida #406 in 1975, Marilyn #379 in 1975.

    The order changed in 2023: Ida moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #734 and #629; by 2023 that had become #625 and #856.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Ida #625, Marilyn #856.

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 Ida

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

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Ida, Marilyn
FieldIdaMarilyn
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningCommonly traced to a Germanic element possibly meaning 'work' or 'labour'.Not yet recorded
OriginGermanic, used across Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and German traditionNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈiːdɑ/Not yet recorded
Syllables23
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NOAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #37 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #1719 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Ida has a recorded origin (Germanic, used across Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and German tradition); Marilyn does not have one recorded yet.
  • Ida has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Marilyn.
  • A meaning is recorded for Ida; Marilyn doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.

How each name got here

Ida

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #204 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: #1 among girls in Norway, in 1988 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #342 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Marilyn

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #28 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–1956

    Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1953 (recorded 1952–1956).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1719 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls