Namewise

Jennifer vs Judith

Jennifer and Judithcompared 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 1969, Jennifer was ranked #7 and Judith #82 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1970, Jennifer was ranked #30 and Judith #86 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2006, Jennifer was ranked #162 and Judith #294 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2022, Jennifer was ranked #338 and Judith #905 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Jennifer was ranked #483 and Judith #2115 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2017, Jennifer was ranked #535 and Judith #492 among girls in Norway.

Jennifer and Judith over time

Jennifer and Judith appear together in 6 published lists, across 172 years of shared records. Jennifer held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Judith 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.

Judith reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Jennifer in none. 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, Jennifer moved ahead of Judith in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #5 and #4 the year before became #3 and #5.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Jennifer and Judith changed places 4 times in Norway · Girls between 1946 and 2017, ending at #535 and #492.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Jennifer and Judith were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 47 years, from 1946 to 2017, ending at #535 and #492.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Jennifer #54 in 1996, Judith #717 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls52 shared years, 1964–2022

    Jennifer held the stronger position in 52 of those years, Judith in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Jennifer #4 in 1981, Judith #127 in 1968.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Jennifer #338, Judith #905.

  • Norway · Girls47 shared years, 1946–2017

    Jennifer held the stronger position in 38 of those years, Judith in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Jennifer #187 in 2000, Judith #119 in 1946.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2017: Jennifer #535, Judith #492.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Jennifer held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Judith in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Jennifer #54 in 1996, Judith #717 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Jennifer #483, Judith #2115.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls18 shared years, 1952–1969

    Jennifer held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Judith in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Jennifer #1 in 1956, Judith #4 in 1952.

    The order changed in 1953: Jennifer moved ahead. In 1952 they stood at #5 and #4; by 1953 that had become #3 and #5.

    Most recent shared year, 1969: Jennifer #7, Judith #82.

  • New Zealand · Girls17 shared years, 1954–1970

    Jennifer held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Judith in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Jennifer #4 in 1957, Judith #4 in 1954.

    The order changed in 1957: Jennifer moved ahead. In 1956 they stood at #6 and #4; by 1957 that had become #4 and #6.

    Most recent shared year, 1970: Jennifer #30, Judith #86.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls9 shared years, 1997–2006

    Jennifer held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Judith in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Jennifer #55 in 1997, Judith #147 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2006: Jennifer #162, Judith #294.

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 Jennifer

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

Other comparisons involving Judith

Pairs where Judith 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 — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia'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 South Wales, Australia 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 Jennifer, Judith
FieldJenniferJudith
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningFrom a Cornish form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar (Guinevere), combining 'gwyn' and 'hwyfar'. Confined mainly to Cornwall until George Bernard Shaw's 1906 play The Doctor's Dilemma sparked wider adoption.Not yet recorded
OriginWelsh, via Cornish transmissionNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈd͡ʒɛn.ɪ.fəɹ/
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #413 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #2115 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)76/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Jennifer has a recorded origin (Welsh, via Cornish transmission); Judith does not have one recorded yet.
  • Jennifer has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Judith.
  • A meaning is recorded for Jennifer; Judith doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Jennifer

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #331 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1952–2003

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1956 (recorded 1952–2003).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #413 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

Judith

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #113 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 recorded1952–1969

    Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1969).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #2115 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Girls