Irena vs Lisa
Irena 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.
Norway · Girls
In 1990, Irena was ranked #656 and Lisa #54 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Irena was ranked #4867 and Lisa #661 among girls in England and Wales.
Irena and Lisa over time
Irena and Lisa appear together in 2 published lists, across 58 years of shared records. Lisa held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Irena in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Irena reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Lisa 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
Irena and Lisa changed places 4 times in Norway · Girls between 1947 and 1990, ending at #656 and #54.
- Mirrored each other
Over 39 shared years in Norway · Girls, Lisa rose about as far as Irena fell — from #352 and #296 in 1947 to #656 and #54 in 1990.
- Longest-running competitions
Irena and Lisa were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 39 years, from 1947 to 1990, ending at #656 and #54.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Irena #2416 in 2000, Lisa #191 in 2000.
List by list
Norway · Girls39 shared years, 1947–1990
Irena held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Lisa in 35.
Highest recorded here: Irena #256 in 1952, Lisa #50 in 1982.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1990: Irena #656, Lisa #54.
England and Wales · Girls19 shared years, 2000–2025
Irena held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lisa in 19.
Highest recorded here: Irena #2416 in 2000, Lisa #191 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Irena #4867, Lisa #661.
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 Lisa
Pairs where Lisa shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Lisa vs Grace
In 1997 they stood at #63 and #57 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2019 they were #336 and #1.
Lisa · Grace · 17 shared years, 1997–2019 · Started together, ended far apart
- Charlotte vs Lisa
In 1997 they stood at #72 and #63 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2019 they were #16 and #336.
Charlotte · Lisa · 17 shared years, 1997–2019 · Started together, ended far apart
- Lisa vs Georgia
In 1997 they stood at #63 and #70 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2019 they were #336 and #33.
Lisa · Georgia · 17 shared years, 1997–2019 · Started together, ended far apart
- Lisa vs Alice
In 1997 they stood at #63 and #63 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 0 places apart; by 2019 they were #336 and #35.
Lisa · Alice · 17 shared years, 1997–2019 · Started together, ended far apart
Side by side
| Field | Irena | 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, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #4867 (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); Irena does not have one recorded yet.
- Irena has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Lisa.
- A meaning is recorded for Lisa; Irena doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, NO.
How each name got here
Irena
Popularity journey
First recorded1947
First recorded at #352 among girls in Norway in 1947 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1947–1990
Highest recorded position: #256 among girls in Norway, in 1952 (recorded 1947–1990).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #4867 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · 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 #661 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls