Jane vs Shirley
Jane and Shirleycompared 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 1961, Jane was ranked #33 and Shirley #100 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1964, Jane was ranked #33 and Shirley #82 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Jane was ranked #226 and Shirley #856 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2011, Jane was ranked #246 and Shirley #444 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Jane was ranked #1160 and Shirley #3015 among girls in England and Wales.
Jane and Shirley over time
Jane and Shirley appear together in 4 published lists, across 88 years of shared records. Jane held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Shirley in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 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 2 of those lists, Shirley 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 1953, Jane moved ahead of Shirley in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #70 and #48 the year before became #56 and #62.
- Longest-running competitions
Jane and Shirley were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 39 years, from 1964 to 2023, ending at #226 and #856.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Jane #28 in 1957, Shirley #30 in 1957.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls39 shared years, 1964–2023
Jane held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Shirley in 4.
Highest recorded here: Jane #59 in 1964, Shirley #64 in 1971.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Jane #226, Shirley #856.
England and Wales · Girls28 shared years, 1996–2024
Jane held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Shirley in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jane #316 in 1996, Shirley #1107 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jane #1160, Shirley #3015.
New Zealand · Girls11 shared years, 1954–1964
Jane held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Shirley in 3.
Highest recorded here: Jane #28 in 1957, Shirley #30 in 1957.
The order changed in 1957: Jane moved ahead. In 1956 they stood at #40 and #35; by 1957 that had become #28 and #30.
Most recent shared year, 1964: Jane #33, Shirley #82.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls10 shared years, 1952–1961
Jane held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Shirley in 1.
Highest recorded here: Jane #33 in 1958, Shirley #48 in 1952.
The order changed in 1953: Jane moved ahead. In 1952 they stood at #70 and #48; by 1953 that had become #56 and #62.
Most recent shared year, 1961: Jane #33, Shirley #100.
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 | Jane | Shirley |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #213 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #3015 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Jane and Shirley 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
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
Highest recorded1952–1984
Highest recorded position: #25 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1966 (recorded 1952–1984).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #213 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Shirley
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #48 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
Highest recorded1954–1964
Highest recorded position: #30 among girls in New Zealand, in 1957 (recorded 1954–1964).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #3015 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls