Namewise

Jane vs Kirsten

Jane and Kirstencompared 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 1982, Jane was ranked #93 and Kirsten #92 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2019, Jane was ranked #141 and Kirsten #621 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2015, Jane was ranked #195 and Kirsten #426 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2003, Jane was ranked #496 and Kirsten #424 among girls in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Girls

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

Jane and Kirsten over time

Jane and Kirsten appear together in 5 published lists, across 157 years of shared records. Jane held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Kirsten in 1.

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 2 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.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Jane and Kirsten changed places 8 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2015, ending at #195 and #426.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Jane and Kirsten were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 58 years, from 1945 to 2003, ending at #496 and #424.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Jane #316 in 1996, Kirsten #195 in 1996.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls58 shared years, 1945–2003

    Jane held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Kirsten in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Jane #73 in 1960, Kirsten #20 in 1945.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2003: Jane #496, Kirsten #424.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls43 shared years, 1971–2019

    Jane held the stronger position in 43 of those years, Kirsten in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Jane #62 in 1997, Kirsten #186 in 2006.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Jane #141, Kirsten #621.

  • England and Wales · Girls27 shared years, 1996–2024

    Jane held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Kirsten in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Jane #316 in 1996, Kirsten #195 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2014: Jane moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #1220 and #1220; by 2014 that had become #1005 and #1882.

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

  • Northern Ireland · Girls16 shared years, 1997–2015

    Jane held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Kirsten in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Jane #80 in 2000, Kirsten #75 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2015: Jane #195, Kirsten #426.

  • New Zealand · Girls13 shared years, 1968–1982

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

    Highest recorded here: Jane #29 in 1968, Kirsten #38 in 1974.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1982: Jane #93, Kirsten #92.

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 Jane

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

Other comparisons involving Kirsten

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

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from Norway lists

Pairs measured inside Norway's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Norway overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2000s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2000 and 2009.

The 2000s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Jane, Kirsten
FieldJaneKirsten
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 recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #213 (2025)Norway · Girls #510 (2025)
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 Kirsten both have 2 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, 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 #1110 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Kirsten

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #20 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: #20 among girls in Norway, in 1945 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #510 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls