Namewise

Jane vs Louise

Jane and Louisecompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1984, Jane was ranked #93 and Louise #44 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1988, Jane was ranked #96 and Louise #73 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2013, Jane was ranked #576 and Louise #98 among girls in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Jane was ranked #213 and Louise #213 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2017, Jane was ranked #432 and Louise #296 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Jane was ranked #1110 and Louise #816 among girls in England and Wales.

Jane and Louise over time

Jane and Louise appear together in 6 published lists, across 229 years of shared records. Louise held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Jane in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Jane reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Louise in 1. 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.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1967, Louise moved ahead of Jane in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #25 and #27 the year before became #29 and #23.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Jane and Louise changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1954 and 1988, ending at #96 and #73.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 33 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Jane and Louise averaged 12.3 places apart, ending at #93 and #44.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Jane and Louise were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1110 and #816.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Jane #316 in 1996, Louise #44 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Jane held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Louise in 43.

    Highest recorded here: Jane #59 in 1964, Louise #5 in 1980.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jane #213, Louise #213.

  • Norway · Girls49 shared years, 1946–2013

    Jane held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Louise in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Jane #75 in 1959, Louise #98 in 2013.

    The order changed in 1989: Louise moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #235 and #236; by 1989 that had become #336 and #281.

    Most recent shared year, 2013: Jane #576, Louise #98.

  • New Zealand · Girls34 shared years, 1954–1988

    Jane held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Louise in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Jane #28 in 1957, Louise #27 in 1980.

    The order changed in 1978: Louise moved ahead. In 1977 they stood at #44 and #48; by 1978 that had become #49 and #37.

    Most recent shared year, 1988: Jane #96, Louise #73.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls33 shared years, 1952–1984

    Jane held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Louise in 25.

    Highest recorded here: Jane #25 in 1966, Louise #23 in 1967.

    The order changed in 1967: Louise moved ahead. In 1966 they stood at #25 and #27; by 1967 that had become #29 and #23.

    Most recent shared year, 1984: Jane #93, Louise #44.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Jane held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Louise in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Jane #316 in 1996, Louise #44 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jane #1110, Louise #816.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 1997–2017

    Jane held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Louise in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Jane #80 in 2000, Louise #33 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2017: Jane #432, Louise #296.

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 Louise

Pairs where Louise 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 — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

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

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1980s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1980 and 1989.

The 1980s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Jane, Louise
FieldJaneLouise
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedThe French feminine form of Louis, from Germanic elements 'hlud' (famous) and 'wig' (warrior) — 'famous warrior'.
OriginNot yet recordedGermanic, via French transmission
PronunciationNot yet recorded/lu.ˈiz/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #213 (2025)Norway · Girls #59 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Louise has a recorded origin (Germanic, via French transmission); Jane does not have one recorded yet.
  • Jane and Louise both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Louise; Jane doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, 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

Louise

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #379 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1980 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #816 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls