Namewise

Jessica vs Maddison

Jessica and Maddisoncompared 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 2019, Jessica was ranked #85 and Maddison #43 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Jessica was ranked #48 and Maddison #130 among girls in Scotland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2017, Jessica was ranked #96 and Maddison #68 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Jessica was ranked #127 and Maddison #169 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Jessica was ranked #139 and Maddison #154 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Jessica was ranked #141 and Maddison #226 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Jessica and Maddison over time

Jessica and Maddison appear together in 5 published lists, across 122 years of shared records. Jessica held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Maddison 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.

Jessica reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Maddison 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 2013, Maddison moved ahead of Jessica in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #24 and #43 the year before became #40 and #38.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 26 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Jessica and Maddison averaged 22.1 places apart, ending at #96 and #68.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Jessica and Maddison were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #139 and #154.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Jessica #1 in 2005, Maddison #63 in 2005.

List by list

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

    Jessica held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Maddison in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Jessica #1 in 2005, Maddison #63 in 2005.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jessica #139, Maddison #154.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls26 shared years, 1992–2017

    Jessica held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Maddison in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Jessica #1 in 1992, Maddison #13 in 1998.

    The order changed in 2013: Maddison moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #24 and #43; by 2013 that had become #40 and #38.

    Most recent shared year, 2017: Jessica #96, Maddison #68.

  • New Zealand · Girls24 shared years, 1995–2019

    Jessica held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Maddison in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Jessica #1 in 1995, Maddison #27 in 2008.

    The order changed in 2016: Maddison moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #30 and #37; by 2016 that had become #50 and #35.

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Jessica #85, Maddison #43.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 2004–2024

    Jessica held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Maddison in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Jessica #4 in 2008, Maddison #123 in 2009.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Jessica #127, Maddison #169.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 2002–2025

    Jessica held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Maddison in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Jessica #17 in 2002, Maddison #183 in 2023.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jessica #141, Maddison #226.

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 Jessica

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

Other comparisons involving Maddison

Pairs where Maddison 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 — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

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

England and Wales 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 Jessica, Maddison
FieldJessicaMaddison
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningCoined by William Shakespeare for his 1596 play The Merchant of Venice, where it belongs to Shylock's daughter — likely based on the biblical name Iscah, also spelled Jescha/Jischa in some translations of Shakespeare's time.Not yet recorded
OriginBiblical Hebrew, via a Shakespearean literary coinageNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈd͡ʒɛs.ɪ.kə/Not yet recorded
Syllables33
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 observationEngland and Wales · Girls #139 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #154 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10076/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Jessica has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via a Shakespearean literary coinage); Maddison does not have one recorded yet.
  • Jessica and Maddison both have 3 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Jessica; Maddison doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Jessica

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #471 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 2005 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #139 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Maddison

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1992

    First recorded at #99 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1992 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1992–2020

    Highest recorded position: #13 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1998 (recorded 1992–2020).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #154 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls