Namewise

Josephine vs Linda

Josephine and Lindacompared 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 1960, Josephine was ranked #99 and Linda #13 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 1998, Josephine was ranked #229 and Linda #301 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Josephine was ranked #256 and Linda #1892 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2024, Josephine was ranked #293 and Linda #376 among girls in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Josephine was ranked #483 and Linda #718 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Josephine and Linda over time

Josephine and Linda appear together in 3 published lists, across 150 years of shared records. Linda held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Josephine in 1.

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.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.

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

    Josephine and Linda changed places 18 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2025, ending at #483 and #718.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Josephine and Linda were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #256 and #1892.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Josephine #168 in 1997, Linda #638 in 1997.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1964 they stood at #25 and #28 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2025 they were #483 and #718.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls61 shared years, 1951–2024

    Josephine held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Linda in 50.

    Highest recorded here: Josephine #238 in 2022, Linda #1 in 1975.

    The order changed in 2016: Josephine moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #436 and #394; by 2016 that had become #253 and #459.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Josephine #293, Linda #376.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls59 shared years, 1964–2025

    Josephine held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Linda in 43.

    Highest recorded here: Josephine #25 in 1964, Linda #13 in 1973.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Josephine #483, Linda #718.

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

    Josephine held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Linda in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Josephine #168 in 1997, Linda #638 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Josephine #256, Linda #1892.

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 Josephine

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

Other comparisons involving Linda

Pairs where Linda 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 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Josephine, Linda
FieldJosephineLinda
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recorded
Syllables42
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #241 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #718 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)70/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Josephine has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Linda.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Josephine

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1951

    First recorded at #367 among girls in Norway in 1951 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #25 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #256 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Linda

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #329 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1945–2024

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Norway, in 1975 (recorded 1945–2024).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1892 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls