Josefine vs Mala
Josefine and Malacompared 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.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2023, Josefine was ranked #5687 and Mala #4709 among girls in England and Wales.
Josefine and Mala over time
Josefine and Mala appear together in 1 published list, across 12 years of shared records. Mala held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Josefine in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Josefine reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Mala 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls12 shared years, 1998–2023
Josefine held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Mala in 8.
Highest recorded here: Josefine #3225 in 1999, Mala #2163 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Josefine #5687, Mala #4709.
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 Josefine
Pairs where Josefine shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Emily vs Josefine
Emily and Josefine changed places 17 times in Norway · Girls between 1982 and 2025, ending at #71 and #24.
Emily · Josefine · 44 shared years, 1982–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
- Amanda vs Josefine
In Norway · Girls, Josefine moved into the top 50 at #26 in 2024 as Amanda fell out of it to #52, having been #35 the year before.
Amanda · Josefine · 44 shared years, 1982–2025 · One took the other's place near the top
Side by side
| Field | Josefine | Mala |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Syllables | 4 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, NO | GB-ENW |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #24 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #2771 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 60/100 | 40/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Josefine has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Mala.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW.
How each name got here
Josefine
Popularity journey
First recorded1975
First recorded at #606 among girls in Norway in 1975 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1975–2025
Highest recorded position: #24 among girls in Norway, in 2025 (recorded 1975–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #24 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls
Mala
Popularity journey
First recorded1997
First recorded at #3174 among girls in England and Wales in 1997 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #2163 among girls in England and Wales, in 2020 (recorded 1997–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2771 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls