Jodie vs Karen
Jodie and Karencompared 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 1982, Jodie was ranked #87 and Karen #52 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1986, Jodie was ranked #82 and Karen #98 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2010, Jodie was ranked #116 and Karen #430 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2019, Jodie was ranked #395 and Karen #871 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Jodie was ranked #3035 and Karen #2440 among girls in England and Wales.
Jodie and Karen over time
Jodie and Karen appear together in 4 published lists, across 99 years of shared records. Jodie held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Karen 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.
Karen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Jodie 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 1982, Jodie moved ahead of Karen in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #41 and #32 the year before became #39 and #41.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Jodie and Karen changed places 7 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2025, ending at #3035 and #2440.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 22 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Jodie and Karen averaged 19.6 places apart, ending at #82 and #98.
- Longest-running competitions
Jodie and Karen were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 37 years, from 1982 to 2019, ending at #395 and #871.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Jodie #43 in 1996, Karen #417 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls37 shared years, 1982–2019
Jodie held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Karen in 18.
Highest recorded here: Jodie #61 in 2004, Karen #9 in 1984.
The order changed in 2016: Jodie moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #431 and #378; by 2016 that had become #208 and #750.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Jodie #395, Karen #871.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2025
Jodie held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Karen in 3.
Highest recorded here: Jodie #43 in 1996, Karen #417 in 1996.
The order changed in 2025: Karen moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #1743 and #4843; by 2025 that had become #3035 and #2440.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jodie #3035, Karen #2440.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls22 shared years, 1965–1986
Jodie held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Karen in 17.
Highest recorded here: Jodie #14 in 1972, Karen #1 in 1965.
The order changed in 1982: Jodie moved ahead. In 1981 they stood at #41 and #32; by 1982 that had become #39 and #41.
Most recent shared year, 1986: Jodie #82, Karen #98.
Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 1997–2010
Jodie held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Karen in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jodie #32 in 2003, Karen #133 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2010: Jodie #116, Karen #430.
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 | Jodie | Karen |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025) | Norway · Girls #442 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Jodie and Karen both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Jodie
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #72 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1965–1988
Highest recorded position: #14 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1972 (recorded 1965–1988).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #3035 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Karen
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #70 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1986
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1963 (recorded 1952–1986).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2440 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls