Namewise

Julie vs Margaret

Julie and Margaretcompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1974, Julie was ranked #19 and Margaret #93 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2023, Julie was ranked #49 and Margaret #522 among girls in Norway.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1984, Julie was ranked #87 and Margaret #80 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Julie was ranked #483 and Margaret #135 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2008, Julie was ranked #439 and Margaret #254 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Julie was ranked #1639 and Margaret #413 among girls in England and Wales.

Julie and Margaret over time

Julie and Margaret appear together in 6 published lists, across 195 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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.

Margaret reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Julie in 2. 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 1956, Julie moved ahead of Margaret in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #5 and #4 the year before became #3 and #5.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Julie and Margaret changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2025, ending at #483 and #135.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Julie and Margaret averaged 27.6 places apart, ending at #19 and #93.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Julie and Margaret were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1639 and #413.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Julie #112 in 1998, Margaret #119 in 2000.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 19642025

    Julie held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Margaret in 58.

    Highest recorded here: Julie #51 in 1977, Margaret #2 in 1965.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Julie #483, Margaret #135.

  • Norway · Girls46 shared years, 19452023

    Julie held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Margaret in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Julie #1 in 2001, Margaret #118 in 1955.

    The order changed in 1968: Julie moved ahead. In 1967 they stood at #390 and #329; by 1968 that had become #261 and #262.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Julie #49, Margaret #522.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 19962025

    Julie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Margaret in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Julie #436 in 1996, Margaret #357 in 2020.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Julie #1639, Margaret #413.

  • New Zealand · Girls24 shared years, 19541984

    Julie held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Margaret in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Julie #4 in 1960, Margaret #3 in 1954.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1984: Julie #87, Margaret #80.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls23 shared years, 19521974

    Julie held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Margaret in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Julie #3 in 1956, Margaret #3 in 1952.

    The order changed in 1956: Julie moved ahead. In 1955 they stood at #5 and #4; by 1956 that had become #3 and #5.

    Most recent shared year, 1974: Julie #19, Margaret #93.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls10 shared years, 19972008

    Julie held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Margaret in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Julie #112 in 1998, Margaret #119 in 2000.

    The order changed in 2005: Margaret moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #316 and #372; by 2005 that had become #318 and #318.

    Most recent shared year, 2008: Julie #439, Margaret #254.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Julie, Margaret
FieldJulieMargaret
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedFrom Latin Margarita, from Greek 'margarites' meaning 'pearl' — likely originally borrowed from an Indo-Iranian language. Associated with Saint Margaret, a 4th-century martyr and patron saint of expectant mothers.
OriginNot yet recordedGreek
Pronunciation/ˈmɑɹ.ɡɹɪt/
Syllables23
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #60 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #135 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10076/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Margaret has a recorded origin (Greek); Julie does not have one recorded yet.
  • Julie has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Margaret.
  • A meaning is recorded for Margaret; Julie doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Julie

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #305 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 recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Norway, in 2001 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1639 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Margaret

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #173 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 recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #413 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls