Namewise

Joanne vs Susan

Joanne and Susancompared 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 1984, Joanne was ranked #63 and Susan #86 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1985, Joanne was ranked #72 and Susan #96 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2007, Joanne was ranked #351 and Susan #413 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2019, Joanne was ranked #871 and Susan #621 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Joanne was ranked #1719 and Susan #2440 among girls in England and Wales.

Joanne and Susan over time

Joanne and Susan appear together in 5 published lists, across 160 years of shared records. Joanne held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Susan in 1.

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.

Susan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Joanne 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 1969, Joanne moved ahead of Susan in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #12 and #8 the year before became #6 and #11.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Joanne and Susan changed places 6 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2025, ending at #1719 and #2440.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 34 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Joanne and Susan averaged 26.1 places apart, ending at #72 and #96.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Joanne and Susan were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1719 and #2440.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Joanne #168 in 1996, Susan #397 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls55 shared years, 1964–2019

    Joanne held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Susan in 38.

    Highest recorded here: Joanne #29 in 1979, Susan #14 in 1968.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Joanne #871, Susan #621.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls34 shared years, 1952–1985

    Joanne held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Susan in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Joanne #5 in 1970, Susan #1 in 1954.

    The order changed in 1969: Joanne moved ahead. In 1968 they stood at #12 and #8; by 1969 that had become #6 and #11.

    Most recent shared year, 1985: Joanne #72, Susan #96.

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

    Joanne held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Susan in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Joanne #168 in 1996, Susan #397 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Joanne #1719, Susan #2440.

  • New Zealand · Girls30 shared years, 1954–1984

    Joanne held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Susan in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Joanne #4 in 1969, Susan #1 in 1955.

    The order changed in 1968: Joanne moved ahead. In 1967 they stood at #12 and #5; by 1968 that had become #6 and #11.

    Most recent shared year, 1984: Joanne #63, Susan #86.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 1997–2007

    Joanne held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Susan in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Joanne #101 in 1997, Susan #187 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2007: Joanne #351, Susan #413.

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 Susan

Pairs where Susan 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 — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

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

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1980s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1980 and 1989.

The 1980s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Joanne, Susan
FieldJoanneSusan
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/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Girls #1719 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #2440 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10094/100
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); Susan does not have one recorded yet.
  • Joanne and Susan both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Joanne; Susan 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

Susan

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #239 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1952–1985

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1954 (recorded 1952–1985).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2440 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls