Namewise

Joanne vs Lorraine

Joanne and Lorrainecompared 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 1965, Joanne was ranked #5 and Lorraine #89 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1966, Joanne was ranked #12 and Lorraine #82 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 1998, Joanne was ranked #187 and Lorraine #301 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2018, Joanne was ranked #734 and Lorraine #896 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Joanne was ranked #1719 and Lorraine #3333 among girls in England and Wales.

Joanne and Lorraine over time

Joanne and Lorraine appear together in 4 published lists, across 106 years of shared records. Joanne held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Lorraine in 1.

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.

Lorraine reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Joanne 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 1957, Joanne moved ahead of Lorraine in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #46 and #40 the year before became #30 and #38.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Joanne and Lorraine changed places 15 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2018, ending at #734 and #896.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Joanne and Lorraine were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1719 and #3333.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Joanne #168 in 1996, Lorraine #661 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls50 shared years, 1964–2018

    Joanne held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Lorraine in 32.

    Highest recorded here: Joanne #29 in 1979, Lorraine #14 in 1979.

    The order changed in 2018: Joanne moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #896 and #896; by 2018 that had become #734 and #896.

    Most recent shared year, 2018: Joanne #734, Lorraine #896.

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

    Joanne held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Lorraine in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Joanne #168 in 1996, Lorraine #661 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Joanne #1719, Lorraine #3333.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls14 shared years, 1952–1966

    Joanne held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Lorraine in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Joanne #9 in 1964, Lorraine #27 in 1952.

    The order changed in 1957: Joanne moved ahead. In 1956 they stood at #46 and #40; by 1957 that had become #30 and #38.

    Most recent shared year, 1966: Joanne #12, Lorraine #82.

  • New Zealand · Girls12 shared years, 1954–1965

    Joanne held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Lorraine in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Joanne #5 in 1965, Lorraine #26 in 1954.

    The order changed in 1957: Joanne moved ahead. In 1956 they stood at #51 and #36; by 1957 that had become #35 and #38.

    Most recent shared year, 1965: Joanne #5, Lorraine #89.

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 Joanne

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

Other comparisons involving Lorraine

Pairs where Lorraine 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 — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

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

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2010s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2010 and 2019.

The 2010s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Joanne, Lorraine
FieldJoanneLorraine
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningA variant of Joan/Johanne, ultimately from the same Hebrew-via-Greek-via-Old-French tradition as John (Yochanan, 'Yahweh is gracious') — sometimes also read as a blend of Jo and Anne.Not yet recorded
OriginEnglish and French, from Hebrew via Greek IoannesNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/d͡ʒoʊ.ˈæn/Not yet recorded
Syllables23
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Girls #1719 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #3333 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10076/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Joanne has a recorded origin (English and French, from Hebrew via Greek Ioannes); Lorraine does not have one recorded yet.
  • Joanne has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Lorraine.
  • A meaning is recorded for Joanne; Lorraine doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Joanne

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #77 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 recorded1954–1986

    Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in New Zealand, in 1969 (recorded 1954–1986).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1719 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Lorraine

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #27 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 recorded1964–2018

    Highest recorded position: #14 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1979 (recorded 1964–2018).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #3333 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls