Imani vs Lisa
Imani and Lisacompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Imani was ranked #718 and Lisa #443 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Imani was ranked #583 and Lisa #795 among girls in England and Wales.
Imani and Lisa over time
Imani and Lisa appear together in 1 published list, across 29 years of shared records. Lisa held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Imani in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Lisa reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Imani 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 · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Imani held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Lisa in 19.
Highest recorded here: Imani #505 in 2010, Lisa #105 in 1996.
The order changed in 2016: Imani moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #794 and #745; by 2016 that had become #594 and #735.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Imani #583, Lisa #795.
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 | Imani | Lisa |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | A short form of Elizabeth, often used independently — notably the name of the subject of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Hebrew, short form of Elizabeth |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈliː.sə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #718 (2025) | Norway · Girls #174 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 60/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Lisa has a recorded origin (Hebrew, short form of Elizabeth); Imani does not have one recorded yet.
- Imani has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Lisa.
- A meaning is recorded for Lisa; Imani doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
How each name got here
Imani
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #802 among girls in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #505 among girls in England and Wales, in 2010 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #718 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Lisa
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #330 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1962–1997
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 1968 (recorded 1962–1997).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #174 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls