Namewise

Jessica vs Madison

Jessica and Madisoncompared 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.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Jessica was ranked #48 and Madison #135 among girls in Scotland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2019, Jessica was ranked #85 and Madison #69 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2017, Jessica was ranked #96 and Madison #82 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Jessica was ranked #127 and Madison #134 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Jessica was ranked #139 and Madison #175 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Jessica was ranked #141 and Madison #148 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Jessica and Madison over time

Jessica and Madison appear together in 5 published lists, across 136 years of shared records. Jessica held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Madison 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, Madison 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 moved ahead of the other

    In 2016, Madison moved ahead of Jessica in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #49 and #57 the year before became #72 and #69.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Jessica and Madison changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1994 and 2019, ending at #85 and #69.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 25 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Jessica and Madison averaged 23.2 places apart, ending at #96 and #82.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Jessica and Madison were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #139 and #175.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Jessica #1 in 2005, Madison #35 in 2007.

List by list

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Jessica #1 in 2005, Madison #35 in 2007.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jessica #139, Madison #175.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Jessica held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Madison in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Jessica #4 in 2008, Madison #37 in 2006.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Jessica #127, Madison #134.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1995–2025

    Jessica held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Madison in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Jessica #12 in 1995, Madison #86 in 2014.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jessica #141, Madison #148.

  • New Zealand · Girls26 shared years, 1994–2019

    Jessica held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Madison in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Jessica #1 in 1994, Madison #14 in 2001.

    The order changed in 2016: Madison moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #30 and #35; by 2016 that had become #50 and #40.

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Jessica #85, Madison #69.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls25 shared years, 1993–2017

    Jessica held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Madison in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Jessica #1 in 1993, Madison #18 in 2000.

    The order changed in 2016: Madison moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #49 and #57; by 2016 that had become #72 and #69.

    Most recent shared year, 2017: Jessica #96, Madison #82.

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 Madison

Pairs where Madison 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, Madison
FieldJessicaMadison
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)Republic of Ireland · Girls #148 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10082/100
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); Madison does not have one recorded yet.
  • Jessica and Madison both have 3 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Jessica; Madison 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

Madison

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1993

    First recorded at #75 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1993 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1994–2023

    Highest recorded position: #14 among girls in New Zealand, in 2001 (recorded 1994–2023).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #175 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls