Namewise

Jane vs Jillian

Jane and Jilliancompared 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 1966, Jane was ranked #31 and Jillian #93 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1955, Jane was ranked #58 and Jillian #87 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2007, Jane was ranked #97 and Jillian #624 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 1999, Jane was ranked #110 and Jillian #344 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Jane was ranked #1160 and Jillian #5891 among girls in England and Wales.

Jane and Jillian over time

Jane and Jillian appear together in 3 published lists, across 70 years of shared records. Jane held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Jillian 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.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.

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 moved ahead of the other

    In 1955, Jane moved ahead of Jillian in New Zealand · Girls — #48 and #44 the year before became #48 and #49.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Jane and Jillian were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 40 years, from 1964 to 2007, ending at #97 and #624.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Jane #316 in 1996, Jillian #2096 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls40 shared years, 19642007

    Jane held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Jillian in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Jane #59 in 1964, Jillian #173 in 1982.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2007: Jane #97, Jillian #624.

  • England and Wales · Girls17 shared years, 19962024

    Jane held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Jillian in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Jane #316 in 1996, Jillian #2096 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Jane #1160, Jillian #5891.

  • New Zealand · Girls13 shared years, 19541966

    Jane held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Jillian in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Jane #28 in 1957, Jillian #44 in 1954.

    The order changed in 1955: Jane moved ahead. In 1954 they stood at #48 and #44; by 1955 that had become #48 and #49.

    Most recent shared year, 1966: Jane #31, Jillian #93.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Jane, Jillian
FieldJaneJillian
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #213 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #5891 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Jane and Jillian both have 2 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Jane

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #246 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 recorded1952–1984

    Highest recorded position: #25 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1966 (recorded 1952–1984).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #213 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

Jillian

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #87 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 recorded1954–1966

    Highest recorded position: #44 among girls in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1966).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #5891 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Girls