Janet vs Kay
Janet and Kaycompared 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 1963, Janet was ranked #60 and Kay #92 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1965, Janet was ranked #80 and Kay #96 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2003, Janet was ranked #439 and Kay #559 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2022, Janet was ranked #3970 and Kay #3970 among girls in England and Wales.
Janet and Kay over time
Janet and Kay appear together in 3 published lists, across 48 years of shared records. Janet held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Kay in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
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
Janet and Kay changed places 8 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2022, ending at #3970 and #3970.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Janet #1031 in 1996, Kay #448 in 1996.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls24 shared years, 1996–2022
Janet held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Kay in 11.
Highest recorded here: Janet #1031 in 1996, Kay #448 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Janet #3970, Kay #3970.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls12 shared years, 1952–1963
Janet held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Kay in 0.
Highest recorded here: Janet #36 in 1952, Kay #39 in 1952.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1963: Janet #60, Kay #92.
New Zealand · Girls12 shared years, 1954–1965
Janet held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Kay in 0.
Highest recorded here: Janet #19 in 1954, Kay #54 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1965: Janet #80, Kay #96.
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 | Janet | Kay |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | Used for both boys and girls |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| 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, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #3318 (2024) | England and Wales · Girls #3970 (2022) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Janet has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Kay.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Janet
Popularity journey
First recorded1947
First recorded at #308 among girls in Norway in 1947 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1954–1966
Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1966).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #3318 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls
Kay
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #286 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1963
Highest recorded position: #39 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1963).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2022
Most recently recorded at #3970 among girls in England and Wales, in 2022.
England and Wales · Girls