Namewise

Jennifer vs Robyn

Jennifer and Robyncompared 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 1974, Jennifer was ranked #10 and Robyn #85 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Jennifer was ranked #413 and Robyn #19 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1975, Jennifer was ranked #34 and Robyn #80 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Jennifer was ranked #384 and Robyn #48 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Jennifer was ranked #650 and Robyn #76 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2022, Jennifer was ranked #354 and Robyn #93 among girls in Northern Ireland.

Jennifer and Robyn over time

Jennifer and Robyn appear together in 5 published lists, across 140 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

The order between them changed and held in 3 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 3 of those lists, Robyn 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.

  • One took the other's place near the top

    In Republic of Ireland · Girls, Robyn moved into the top 50 at #50 in 2004 as Jennifer fell out of it to #54, having been #43 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2011, Robyn moved ahead of Jennifer in England and Wales · Girls — #166 and #173 the year before became #175 and #174.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Jennifer and Robyn averaged 26.3 places apart, ending at #10 and #85.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Jennifer and Robyn were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #650 and #76.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Jennifer #4 in 1957, Robyn #8 in 1956.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls43 shared years, 1982–2025

    Jennifer held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Robyn in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Jennifer #4 in 1982, Robyn #19 in 2025.

    The order changed in 2004: Robyn moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #43 and #49; by 2004 that had become #54 and #50.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jennifer #413, Robyn #19.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Jennifer #54 in 1996, Robyn #64 in 2023.

    The order changed in 2011: Robyn moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #166 and #173; by 2011 that had become #175 and #174.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jennifer #650, Robyn #76.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls23 shared years, 1952–1974

    Jennifer held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Robyn in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Jennifer #1 in 1956, Robyn #6 in 1953.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1974: Jennifer #10, Robyn #85.

  • New Zealand · Girls22 shared years, 1954–1975

    Jennifer held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Robyn in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Jennifer #4 in 1957, Robyn #8 in 1956.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1975: Jennifer #34, Robyn #80.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 1997–2022

    Jennifer held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Robyn in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Jennifer #55 in 1997, Robyn #63 in 2000.

    The order changed in 2004: Robyn moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #114 and #147; by 2004 that had become #108 and #70.

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Jennifer #354, Robyn #93.

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 Robyn

Pairs where Robyn 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 — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

Pairs measured inside New Zealand'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 Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1970s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1970 and 1979.

The 1970s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Jennifer, Robyn
FieldJenniferRobyn
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 feminine variant of Robin, itself a diminutive of Robert.
OriginWelsh, via Cornish transmissionGermanic, feminine diminutive form
Pronunciation/ˈd͡ʒɛn.ɪ.fəɹ//ˈɹɑb.ɪn/
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, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #413 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #19 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)76/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Jennifer is recorded with a Welsh, via Cornish transmission origin, while Robyn is recorded with a Germanic, feminine diminutive form origin.
  • Jennifer has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Robyn.
  • Jennifer's recorded meaning differs from Robyn's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, 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

Robyn

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #7 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1952–1974

    Highest recorded position: #6 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1953 (recorded 1952–1974).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #76 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls