Jenna vs Laura
Jenna and Lauracompared 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 1991, Jenna was ranked #99 and Laura #12 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2004, Jenna was ranked #93 and Laura #53 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Jenna was ranked #885 and Laura #112 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2022, Jenna was ranked #354 and Laura #243 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Jenna was ranked #1302 and Laura #258 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Jenna was ranked #638 and Laura #351 among girls in Scotland.
Jenna and Laura over time
Jenna and Laura appear together in 5 published lists, across 117 years of shared records. Laura held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Jenna in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Jenna reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Laura in 2. 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Jenna and Laura were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 44 years, from 1979 to 2025, ending at #885 and #112.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Jenna #148 in 1997, Laura #17 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls44 shared years, 1979–2025
Jenna held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Laura in 44.
Highest recorded here: Jenna #107 in 1984, Laura #2 in 1985.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jenna #885, Laura #112.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Jenna held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Laura in 29.
Highest recorded here: Jenna #148 in 1997, Laura #17 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jenna #1302, Laura #258.
Northern Ireland · Girls24 shared years, 1997–2022
Jenna held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Laura in 24.
Highest recorded here: Jenna #74 in 2005, Laura #13 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Jenna #354, Laura #243.
New Zealand · Girls12 shared years, 1983–2004
Jenna held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Laura in 11.
Highest recorded here: Jenna #12 in 1985, Laura #9 in 1989.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Jenna #93, Laura #53.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls8 shared years, 1984–1991
Jenna held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Laura in 8.
Highest recorded here: Jenna #33 in 1987, Laura #11 in 1990.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1991: Jenna #99, Laura #12.
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 | Jenna | Laura |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | From Latin 'laurus' meaning 'laurel' — laurel wreaths honoured victors in ancient Rome. Also the subject of 14th-century Italian poet Petrarch's poems. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Latin |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈlɔɹ.ə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #885 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #112 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Laura has a recorded origin (Latin); Jenna does not have one recorded yet.
- Jenna and Laura both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Laura; Jenna doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Jenna
Popularity journey
First recorded1979
First recorded at #391 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1979 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1983–2004
Highest recorded position: #12 among girls in New Zealand, in 1985 (recorded 1983–2004).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Laura
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #313 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1985 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #141 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls