Jo vs Pauline

Jo and Paulinecompared 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.

Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2018, Jo was ranked #896 and Pauline #896 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2013, Jo was ranked #5742 and Pauline #2887 among girls in England and Wales.

Jo and Pauline over time

Jo and Pauline appear together in 2 published lists, across 34 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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

Jo reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Pauline 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.

Repeatedly exchanged positions
Jo and Pauline changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2013, ending at #5742 and #2887.
Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Jo #736 in 1996, Pauline #1076 in 1998.

List by list

England and Wales · Girls17 shared years, 1996–2013
Jo held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Pauline in 5.
Highest recorded here: Jo #736 in 1996, Pauline #1076 in 1998.
The order changed in 2010: Pauline moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #3422 and #3936; by 2010 that had become #5707 and #2589.
Most recent shared year, 2013: Jo #5742, Pauline #2887.
Republic of Ireland · Girls17 shared years, 1971–2018
Jo held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Pauline in 16.
Highest recorded here: Jo #349 in 1973, Pauline #45 in 1979.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Jo #896, Pauline #896.

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 Pauline

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

Elizabeth vs Pauline
In 1964 they stood at #6 and #12 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2018 they were #91 and #896.
Elizabeth · Pauline · 45 shared years, 1964–2018 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2018 Republic of Ireland ranking
Catherine vs Pauline
In 1964 they stood at #2 and #12 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 10 places apart; by 2018 they were #124 and #896.
Catherine · Pauline · 45 shared years, 1964–2018 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2018 Republic of Ireland ranking
Margaret vs Pauline
In 1964 they stood at #3 and #12 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2018 they were #150 and #896.
Margaret · Pauline · 45 shared years, 1964–2018 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2018 Republic of Ireland ranking
Bridget vs Pauline
In 1964 they stood at #8 and #12 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 4 places apart; by 2018 they were #188 and #896.
Bridget · Pauline · 45 shared years, 1964–2018 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2018 Republic of Ireland ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Jo, Pauline
Field	Jo	Pauline
Record type	Official statistical record (evidence-only)	Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usage	Used for both boys and girls	female
Meaning	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Origin	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Pronunciation	Not yet recorded
Syllables	1	3
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	GB-ENW, IE, NO	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	Norway · Boys #319 (2025)	England and Wales · Girls #4843 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	95/100	82/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Jo has 1 syllable, compared with 3 for Pauline.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE, NO.

How each name got here

Jo

Popularity journey

First recorded1945
First recorded at #301 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #96 among boys in Norway, in 1966 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #319 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys

Pauline

Popularity journey

First recorded1946
First recorded at #396 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2018
Highest recorded position: #12 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2018).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #4843 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls