Julia vs Sharon
Julia and Sharoncompared 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.
Norway · Girls
In 2001, Julia was ranked #53 and Sharon #512 among girls in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2010, Julia was ranked #71 and Sharon #366 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2020, Julia was ranked #77 and Sharon #834 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1981, Julia was ranked #83 and Sharon #78 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1982, Julia was ranked #89 and Sharon #88 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Julia was ranked #188 and Sharon #638 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Julia was ranked #223 and Sharon #2000 among girls in England and Wales.
Julia and Sharon over time
Julia and Sharon appear together in 4 published lists, across 117 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Sharon reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Julia 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 2000, Julia moved ahead of Sharon in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #158 and #158 the year before became #195 and #213.
- Longest-running competitions
Julia and Sharon were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 55 years, from 1964 to 2020, ending at #77 and #834.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1964 they stood at #42 and #39 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2020 they were #77 and #834.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls55 shared years, 1964–2020
Julia held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Sharon in 35.
Highest recorded here: Julia #31 in 2009, Sharon #5 in 1970.
The order changed in 2000: Julia moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #158 and #158; by 2000 that had become #195 and #213.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Julia #77, Sharon #834.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Julia held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Sharon in 0.
Highest recorded here: Julia #77 in 2010, Sharon #539 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Julia #223, Sharon #2000.
Norway · Girls22 shared years, 1962–2001
Julia held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Sharon in 0.
Highest recorded here: Julia #53 in 2001, Sharon #354 in 1980.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2001: Julia #53, Sharon #512.
New Zealand · Girls11 shared years, 1970–1981
Julia held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sharon in 11.
Highest recorded here: Julia #65 in 1979, Sharon #14 in 1970.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1981: Julia #83, Sharon #78.
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 | Julia | Sharon |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The feminine form of the Roman family name Julius — borne by Julia Augusta and Julia the Elder, and by an early Christian martyr and patron saint of Corsica. | From a Hebrew place name — a fertile plain on the central west coast of Israel, also referenced in the biblical 'rose of Sharon' flowering plant. Used as a feminine given name in English since the 1920s. |
| Origin | The feminine counterpart within the Roman gens Julia, the family name Julius belonged to | Biblical Hebrew (place name origin) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈjʉː.lɪ.a/ | /ˈʃæɹ.ən/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 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 #85 (2025) | Scotland · Girls #638 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Julia is recorded with a The feminine counterpart within the Roman gens Julia, the family name Julius belonged to origin, while Sharon is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew (place name origin) origin.
- Julia and Sharon both have 2 syllables.
- Julia's recorded meaning differs from Sharon's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Julia
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #345 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1970–2001
Highest recorded position: #26 among girls in New Zealand, in 1983 (recorded 1970–2001).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #85 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls
Sharon
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #47 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
Highest recorded1952–1982
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1965 (recorded 1952–1982).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2000 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls