Jessica vs Stephanie
Jessica and Stephaniecompared 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 2005, Jessica was ranked #5 and Stephanie #99 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2010, Jessica was ranked #20 and Stephanie #73 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Jessica was ranked #48 and Stephanie #541 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Jessica was ranked #60 and Stephanie #391 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Jessica was ranked #139 and Stephanie #719 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Jessica was ranked #141 and Stephanie #294 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2018, Jessica was ranked #336 and Stephanie #527 among girls in Norway.
Jessica and Stephanie over time
Jessica and Stephanie appear together in 6 published lists, across 210 years of shared records. Jessica held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Stephanie in 0.
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.
Stephanie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Jessica 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 moved ahead of the other
In 1977, Jessica moved ahead of Stephanie in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #96 and #84 the year before became #69 and #99.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Jessica and Stephanie changed places 10 times in Norway · Girls between 1966 and 2018, ending at #336 and #527.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 35 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Jessica and Stephanie averaged 31.0 places apart, ending at #20 and #73.
- Mirrored each other
Over 25 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Jessica rose about as far as Stephanie fell — from #65 and #57 in 1977 to #5 and #99 in 2005.
- Longest-running competitions
Jessica and Stephanie were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #139 and #719.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Jessica #1 in 1990, Stephanie #11 in 1991.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls60 shared years, 1966–2025
Jessica held the stronger position in 38 of those years, Stephanie in 22.
Highest recorded here: Jessica #12 in 1995, Stephanie #23 in 1990.
The order changed in 1990: Jessica moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #44 and #35; by 1990 that had become #21 and #23.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jessica #141, Stephanie #294.
Norway · Girls38 shared years, 1966–2018
Jessica held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Stephanie in 6.
Highest recorded here: Jessica #143 in 2010, Stephanie #178 in 1989.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Jessica #336, Stephanie #527.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls35 shared years, 1976–2010
Jessica held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Stephanie in 1.
Highest recorded here: Jessica #1 in 1984, Stephanie #5 in 1994.
The order changed in 1977: Jessica moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #96 and #84; by 1977 that had become #69 and #99.
Most recent shared year, 2010: Jessica #20, Stephanie #73.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Jessica held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Stephanie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jessica #1 in 2005, Stephanie #48 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jessica #139, Stephanie #719.
New Zealand · Girls25 shared years, 1977–2005
Jessica held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Stephanie in 1.
Highest recorded here: Jessica #1 in 1990, Stephanie #11 in 1991.
The order changed in 1978: Jessica moved ahead. In 1977 they stood at #65 and #57; by 1978 that had become #26 and #63.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Jessica #5, Stephanie #99.
Northern Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 1997–2023
Jessica held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Stephanie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jessica #4 in 2008, Stephanie #50 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Jessica #60, Stephanie #391.
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.
Side by side
| Field | Jessica | Stephanie |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Coined 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. | The feminine form of Stephen, from Greek Stephanos meaning 'crown, wreath'. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via a Shakespearean literary coinage | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈd͡ʒɛs.ɪ.kə/ | /ˈstɛf.ə.ni/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #139 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #294 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 65/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 70/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Jessica is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via a Shakespearean literary coinage origin, while Stephanie is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Jessica and Stephanie both have 3 syllables.
- Jessica's recorded meaning differs from Stephanie'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
Jessica
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2005 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #139 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Stephanie
Popularity journey
First recorded1953
First recorded at #97 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1953–2010
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1994 (recorded 1953–2010).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #719 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls