Jennifer vs Julie
Jennifer and Juliecompared 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 1986, Jennifer was ranked #24 and Julie #97 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1987, Jennifer was ranked #27 and Julie #93 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Girls
In 2020, Jennifer was ranked #493 and Julie #33 among girls in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Jennifer was ranked #413 and Julie #483 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2008, Jennifer was ranked #439 and Julie #439 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Jennifer was ranked #650 and Julie #1639 among girls in England and Wales.
Jennifer and Julie over time
Jennifer and Julie appear together in 6 published lists, across 225 years of shared records. Jennifer held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Julie in 2.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Jennifer reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Julie 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Jennifer and Julie changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2025, ending at #413 and #483.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 36 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Jennifer and Julie averaged 16.3 places apart, ending at #27 and #93.
- Longest-running competitions
Jennifer and Julie were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #650 and #1639.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Jennifer #54 in 1996, Julie #436 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Jennifer held the stronger position in 58 of those years, Julie in 3.
Highest recorded here: Jennifer #4 in 1981, Julie #51 in 1977.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jennifer #413, Julie #483.
Norway · Girls54 shared years, 1946–2020
Jennifer held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Julie in 53.
Highest recorded here: Jennifer #187 in 2000, Julie #1 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Jennifer #493, Julie #33.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls36 shared years, 1952–1987
Jennifer held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Julie in 1.
Highest recorded here: Jennifer #1 in 1956, Julie #3 in 1956.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1987: Jennifer #27, Julie #93.
New Zealand · Girls33 shared years, 1954–1986
Jennifer held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Julie in 18.
Highest recorded here: Jennifer #4 in 1957, Julie #4 in 1960.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1986: Jennifer #24, Julie #97.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Jennifer held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Julie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jennifer #54 in 1996, Julie #436 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jennifer #650, Julie #1639.
Northern Ireland · Girls10 shared years, 1997–2008
Jennifer held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Julie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jennifer #55 in 1997, Julie #112 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Jennifer #439, Julie #439.
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 | Jennifer | Julie |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | From 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 |
| Origin | Welsh, via Cornish transmission | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ɪ.fəɹ/ | |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #413 (2025) | Norway · Girls #60 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Jennifer has a recorded origin (Welsh, via Cornish transmission); Julie does not have one recorded yet.
- Jennifer has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Julie.
- A meaning is recorded for Jennifer; Julie 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
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
Highest recorded1952–2003
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1956 (recorded 1952–2003).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #650 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Julie
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #305 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Norway, in 2001 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #1639 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls