Josephine vs Mary
Josephine and Marycompared 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 1988, Josephine was ranked #100 and Mary #92 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Josephine was ranked #483 and Mary #112 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2017, Josephine was ranked #355 and Mary #122 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Josephine was ranked #241 and Mary #518 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Josephine was ranked #256 and Mary #329 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Josephine was ranked #295 and Mary #315 among girls in Scotland.
Josephine and Mary over time
Josephine and Mary appear together in 4 published lists, across 161 years of shared records. Mary held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Josephine in 0.
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.
Mary reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Josephine 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Josephine and Mary changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2025, ending at #256 and #329.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Josephine and Mary averaged 44.3 places apart, ending at #256 and #329.
- Longest-running competitions
Josephine and Mary were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #256 and #329.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Josephine #168 in 1997, Mary #118 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Josephine held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mary in 62.
Highest recorded here: Josephine #25 in 1964, Mary #1 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Josephine #483, Mary #112.
Norway · Girls57 shared years, 1951–2025
Josephine held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Mary in 43.
Highest recorded here: Josephine #241 in 2025, Mary #76 in 1951.
The order changed in 2016: Josephine moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #436 and #378; by 2016 that had become #253 and #365.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Josephine #241, Mary #518.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Josephine held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Mary in 19.
Highest recorded here: Josephine #168 in 1997, Mary #118 in 1997.
The order changed in 2017: Josephine moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #253 and #250; by 2017 that had become #245 and #320.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Josephine #256, Mary #329.
Northern Ireland · Girls12 shared years, 1997–2017
Josephine held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mary in 12.
Highest recorded here: Josephine #229 in 1998, Mary #53 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Josephine #355, Mary #122.
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 | Josephine | Mary |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #241 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #112 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 70/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Josephine has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Mary.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Josephine
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #25 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #256 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Mary
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #67 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #329 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls