Namewise

Jennifer vs Lisa

Jennifer and Lisacompared 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 1997, Jennifer was ranked #60 and Lisa #100 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1997, Jennifer was ranked #71 and Lisa #85 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2020, Jennifer was ranked #493 and Lisa #124 among girls in Norway.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2013, Jennifer was ranked #255 and Lisa #370 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Jennifer was ranked #384 and Lisa #790 among girls in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Jennifer was ranked #413 and Lisa #443 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Jennifer was ranked #650 and Lisa #661 among girls in England and Wales.

Jennifer and Lisa over time

Jennifer and Lisa appear together in 6 published lists, across 237 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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, Lisa 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 Lisa changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1962 and 1997, ending at #71 and #85.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 39 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Jennifer and Lisa averaged 12.9 places apart, ending at #60 and #100.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Jennifer and Lisa were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #650 and #661.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Jennifer #54 in 1996, Lisa #105 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Jennifer held the stronger position in 45 of those years, Lisa in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Jennifer #4 in 1981, Lisa #3 in 1984.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jennifer #413, Lisa #443.

  • Norway · Girls54 shared years, 1946–2020

    Jennifer held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lisa in 54.

    Highest recorded here: Jennifer #187 in 2000, Lisa #37 in 1994.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2020: Jennifer #493, Lisa #124.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls39 shared years, 1959–1997

    Jennifer held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Lisa in 27.

    Highest recorded here: Jennifer #1 in 1959, Lisa #2 in 1968.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1997: Jennifer #60, Lisa #100.

  • New Zealand · Girls36 shared years, 1962–1997

    Jennifer held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Lisa in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Jennifer #13 in 1963, Lisa #1 in 1968.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1997: Jennifer #71, Lisa #85.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Jennifer held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Lisa in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Jennifer #54 in 1996, Lisa #105 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jennifer #650, Lisa #661.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls16 shared years, 1997–2013

    Jennifer held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Lisa in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Jennifer #55 in 1997, Lisa #63 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2013: Jennifer #255, Lisa #370.

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 Lisa

Pairs where Lisa 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 — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Jennifer, Lisa
FieldJenniferLisa
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
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.A short form of Elizabeth, often used independently — notably the name of the subject of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa.
OriginWelsh, via Cornish transmissionHebrew, short form of Elizabeth
Pronunciation/ˈd͡ʒɛn.ɪ.fəɹ//ˈliː.sə/
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, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #413 (2025)Norway · Girls #174 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)76/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Jennifer is recorded with a Welsh, via Cornish transmission origin, while Lisa is recorded with a Hebrew, short form of Elizabeth origin.
  • Jennifer has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Lisa.
  • Jennifer's recorded meaning differs from Lisa's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, 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 #650 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Lisa

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #330 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 recorded1962–1997

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 1968 (recorded 1962–1997).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #661 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls