Namewise

Jennifer vs Olivia

Jennifer and Oliviacompared 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.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Jennifer was ranked #650 and Olivia #1 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Jennifer was ranked #384 and Olivia #1 among girls in Scotland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2003, Jennifer was ranked #88 and Olivia #4 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2022, Jennifer was ranked #354 and Olivia #4 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2020, Jennifer was ranked #493 and Olivia #4 among girls in Norway.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2003, Jennifer was ranked #84 and Olivia #7 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Jennifer was ranked #413 and Olivia #8 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Jennifer and Olivia over time

Jennifer and Olivia appear together in 6 published lists, across 196 years of shared records. Olivia held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Jennifer in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Jennifer reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Olivia 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 took the other's place near the top

    In New Zealand · Girls, Olivia moved into the top 50 at #46 in 1989 as Jennifer fell out of it to #54, having been #32 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1991, Olivia moved ahead of Jennifer in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #33 and #43 the year before became #40 and #36.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 20 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Jennifer and Olivia averaged 50.3 places apart, ending at #88 and #4.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Jennifer and Olivia were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #650 and #1.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1997 they stood at #55 and #46 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2022 they were #354 and #4.

List by list

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

    Jennifer held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Olivia in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Jennifer #4 in 1981, Olivia #4 in 1975.

    The order changed in 2005: Olivia moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #54 and #69; by 2005 that had become #63 and #58.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jennifer #413, Olivia #8.

  • Norway · Girls36 shared years, 1964–2020

    Jennifer held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Olivia in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Jennifer #187 in 2000, Olivia #3 in 2015.

    The order changed in 2001: Olivia moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #187 and #229; by 2001 that had become #309 and #192.

    Most recent shared year, 2020: Jennifer #493, Olivia #4.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Jennifer #54 in 1996, Olivia #1 in 2008.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jennifer #650, Olivia #1.

  • New Zealand · Girls26 shared years, 1977–2003

    Jennifer held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Olivia in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Jennifer #15 in 1981, Olivia #2 in 2002.

    The order changed in 1989: Olivia moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #32 and #39; by 1989 that had become #54 and #46.

    Most recent shared year, 2003: Jennifer #84, Olivia #7.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 1997–2022

    Jennifer held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Olivia in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Jennifer #55 in 1997, Olivia #3 in 2016.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Jennifer #354, Olivia #4.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls20 shared years, 1978–2003

    Jennifer held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Olivia in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Jennifer #13 in 1978, Olivia #4 in 2003.

    The order changed in 1991: Olivia moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #33 and #43; by 1991 that had become #40 and #36.

    Most recent shared year, 2003: Jennifer #88, Olivia #4.

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 Olivia

Pairs where Olivia 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 — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Northern 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.

Northern 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, Olivia
FieldJenniferOlivia
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.Commonly interpreted as 'olive tree' or 'symbol of peace'.
OriginWelsh, via Cornish transmissionLatin
Pronunciation/ˈd͡ʒɛn.ɪ.fəɹ//əˈlɪviə/
Syllables33
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedOlivea, Liv, Livvy, Oliwia
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)England and Wales · Girls #1 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)76/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Jennifer is recorded with a Welsh, via Cornish transmission origin, while Olivia is recorded with a Latin origin.
  • Jennifer and Olivia both have 3 syllables.
  • Jennifer's recorded meaning differs from Olivia's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Jennifer a "medium" Data Confidence level and Olivia a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

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

Olivia

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #488 among girls in Norway in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2008 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls