Janice vs Joanne
Janice and Joannecompared 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 1964, Janice was ranked #91 and Joanne #6 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1963, Janice was ranked #94 and Joanne #11 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 1997, Janice was ranked #358 and Joanne #101 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2009, Janice was ranked #742 and Joanne #439 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Janice was ranked #2771 and Joanne #2000 among girls in England and Wales.
Janice and Joanne over time
Janice and Joanne appear together in 4 published lists, across 87 years of shared records. Joanne held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Janice 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.
Janice reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Joanne 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 took the other's place near the top
In New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Joanne moved into the top 50 at #30 in 1957 as Janice fell out of it to #58, having been #45 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1957, Joanne moved ahead of Janice in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #45 and #46 the year before became #58 and #30.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Janice and Joanne changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2009, ending at #742 and #439.
- Longest-running competitions
Janice and Joanne were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 36 years, from 1964 to 2009, ending at #742 and #439.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Janice #1364 in 1996, Joanne #168 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls36 shared years, 1964–2009
Janice held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Joanne in 34.
Highest recorded here: Janice #117 in 1980, Joanne #29 in 1979.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2009: Janice #742, Joanne #439.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Janice held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Joanne in 29.
Highest recorded here: Janice #1364 in 1996, Joanne #168 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Janice #2771, Joanne #2000.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls11 shared years, 1952–1963
Janice held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Joanne in 6.
Highest recorded here: Janice #31 in 1953, Joanne #11 in 1961.
The order changed in 1957: Joanne moved ahead. In 1956 they stood at #45 and #46; by 1957 that had become #58 and #30.
Most recent shared year, 1963: Janice #94, Joanne #11.
New Zealand · Girls11 shared years, 1954–1964
Janice held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Joanne in 7.
Highest recorded here: Janice #22 in 1955, Joanne #6 in 1961.
The order changed in 1958: Joanne moved ahead. In 1957 they stood at #31 and #35; by 1958 that had become #30 and #27.
Most recent shared year, 1964: Janice #91, Joanne #6.
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 | Janice | Joanne |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | A variant of Joan/Johanne, ultimately from the same Hebrew-via-Greek-via-Old-French tradition as John (Yochanan, 'Yahweh is gracious') — sometimes also read as a blend of Jo and Anne. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | English and French, from Hebrew via Greek Ioannes |
| Pronunciation | /d͡ʒoʊ.ˈæn/ | |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #2771 (2024) | England and Wales · Girls #2000 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Joanne has a recorded origin (English and French, from Hebrew via Greek Ioannes); Janice does not have one recorded yet.
- Janice has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Joanne.
- A meaning is recorded for Joanne; Janice doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Janice
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #32 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: #22 among girls in New Zealand, in 1955 (recorded 1954–1964).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2771 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls
Joanne
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #77 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 recorded1954–1986
Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in New Zealand, in 1969 (recorded 1954–1986).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2000 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls