Karen vs Leanne
Karen and Leannecompared 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 1986, Karen was ranked #98 and Leanne #95 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1985, Karen was ranked #99 and Leanne #95 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2010, Karen was ranked #430 and Leanne #366 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2019, Karen was ranked #871 and Leanne #716 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Karen was ranked #2440 and Leanne #2006 among girls in England and Wales.
Karen and Leanne over time
Karen and Leanne appear together in 5 published lists, across 137 years of shared records. Leanne held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Karen in 2.
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.
Karen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Leanne 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
Karen and Leanne changed places 5 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1973 and 2019, ending at #871 and #716.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Karen and Leanne averaged 17.3 places apart, ending at #98 and #95.
- Longest-running competitions
Karen and Leanne were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 46 years, from 1973 to 2019, ending at #871 and #716.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Karen #417 in 1996, Leanne #88 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls46 shared years, 1973–2019
Karen held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Leanne in 23.
Highest recorded here: Karen #5 in 1977, Leanne #26 in 1990.
The order changed in 2019: Leanne moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #629 and #734; by 2019 that had become #871 and #716.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Karen #871, Leanne #716.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2025
Karen held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Leanne in 27.
Highest recorded here: Karen #417 in 1996, Leanne #88 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Karen #2440, Leanne #2006.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls29 shared years, 1957–1986
Karen held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Leanne in 1.
Highest recorded here: Karen #1 in 1963, Leanne #6 in 1968.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1986: Karen #98, Leanne #95.
New Zealand · Girls23 shared years, 1961–1985
Karen held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Leanne in 1.
Highest recorded here: Karen #1 in 1964, Leanne #22 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1985: Karen #99, Leanne #95.
Northern Ireland · Girls10 shared years, 1997–2010
Karen held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Leanne in 6.
Highest recorded here: Karen #133 in 1997, Leanne #84 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2010: Karen #430, Leanne #366.
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 | Karen | Leanne |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #442 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #2006 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Karen and Leanne both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Karen
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #70 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1986
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1963 (recorded 1952–1986).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2440 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Leanne
Popularity journey
First recorded1957
First recorded at #96 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1957 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1957–1986
Highest recorded position: #6 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1968 (recorded 1957–1986).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2006 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls