Namewise

Janice vs Karen

Janice and Karencompared 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, Janice was ranked #94 and Karen #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1964, Janice was ranked #91 and Karen #1 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 1997, Janice was ranked #358 and Karen #133 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2009, Janice was ranked #742 and Karen #358 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Janice was ranked #2138 and Karen #2440 among girls in England and Wales.

Janice and Karen over time

Janice and Karen appear together in 4 published lists, across 87 years of shared records. Karen 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, Karen 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 1954, Karen moved ahead of Janice in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #31 and #35 the year before became #36 and #13.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Janice and Karen were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 36 years, from 1964 to 2009, ending at #742 and #358.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Janice #1364 in 1996, Karen #417 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls36 shared years, 1964–2009

    Janice held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Karen in 36.

    Highest recorded here: Janice #117 in 1980, Karen #5 in 1977.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2009: Janice #742, Karen #358.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2025

    Janice held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Karen in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Janice #1364 in 1996, Karen #417 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2022: Janice moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #3961 and #3192; by 2022 that had become #1948 and #4645.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Janice #2138, Karen #2440.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls11 shared years, 1952–1963

    Janice held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Karen in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Janice #31 in 1953, Karen #1 in 1963.

    The order changed in 1954: Karen moved ahead. In 1953 they stood at #31 and #35; by 1954 that had become #36 and #13.

    Most recent shared year, 1963: Janice #94, Karen #1.

  • New Zealand · Girls11 shared years, 1954–1964

    Janice held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Karen in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Janice #22 in 1955, Karen #1 in 1957.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1964: Janice #91, Karen #1.

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 Janice

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

Other comparisons involving Karen

Pairs where Karen 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 — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

Pairs measured inside New Zealand'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 Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1960s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1960 and 1969.

The 1960s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Janice, Karen
FieldJaniceKaren
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
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Girls #2138 (2025)Norway · Girls #442 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Janice has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Karen.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Janice

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1954–1964

    Highest recorded position: #22 among girls in New Zealand, in 1955 (recorded 1954–1964).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2138 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Karen

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #70 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 recorded1952–1986

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1963 (recorded 1952–1986).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2440 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls