Jan vs Sheena
Jan and Sheenacompared 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 1997, Jan was ranked #576 and Sheena #440 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2010, Jan was ranked #4688 and Sheena #2589 among girls in England and Wales.
Jan and Sheena over time
Jan and Sheena appear together in 1 published list, across 10 years of shared records. Sheena held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Jan in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Jan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Sheena 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
Republic of Ireland · Girls10 shared years, 1964–1997
Jan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sheena in 9.
Highest recorded here: Jan #327 in 1964, Sheena #173 in 1985.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Jan #576, Sheena #440.
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 | Jan | Sheena |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | female |
| Meaning | A form of Johannes used across many European languages, from Hebrew Yochanan via Greek Ioannes — 'Yahweh is gracious'. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Hebrew, via Dutch/Scandinavian/Central European transmission | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈjɑːn/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #149 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #734 (2018) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 60/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Jan has a recorded origin (Hebrew, via Dutch/Scandinavian/Central European transmission); Sheena does not have one recorded yet.
- Jan has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Sheena.
- A meaning is recorded for Jan; Sheena doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
How each name got here
Jan
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #2 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 1946 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #149 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Sheena
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #327 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2018
Highest recorded position: #173 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1985 (recorded 1964–2018).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2018
Most recently recorded at #734 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2018.
Republic of Ireland · Girls