Karen vs Patricia
Karen and Patriciacompared 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 1978, Karen was ranked #21 and Patricia #85 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1984, Karen was ranked #60 and Patricia #98 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Girls
In 2017, Karen was ranked #162 and Patricia #544 among girls in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2008, Karen was ranked #439 and Patricia #370 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2019, Karen was ranked #871 and Patricia #502 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Karen was ranked #4843 and Patricia #1353 among girls in England and Wales.
Karen and Patricia over time
Karen and Patricia appear together in 5 published lists, across 199 years of shared records. Karen held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Patricia in 1.
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.
Patricia reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Karen in 1. 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 1955, Karen moved ahead of Patricia in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #13 and #10 the year before became #7 and #16.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Karen and Patricia changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #4843 and #1353.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Karen and Patricia averaged 37.7 places apart, ending at #60 and #98.
- Longest-running competitions
Karen and Patricia were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 63 years, from 1946 to 2017, ending at #162 and #544.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Karen #417 in 1996, Patricia #443 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Girls63 shared years, 1946–2017
Karen held the stronger position in 63 of those years, Patricia in 0.
Highest recorded here: Karen #57 in 1946, Patricia #264 in 1966.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Karen #162, Patricia #544.
Republic of Ireland · Girls56 shared years, 1964–2019
Karen held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Patricia in 23.
Highest recorded here: Karen #5 in 1977, Patricia #8 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Karen #871, Patricia #502.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls29 shared years, 1952–1984
Karen held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Patricia in 3.
Highest recorded here: Karen #1 in 1963, Patricia #8 in 1952.
The order changed in 1955: Karen moved ahead. In 1954 they stood at #13 and #10; by 1955 that had become #7 and #16.
Most recent shared year, 1984: Karen #60, Patricia #98.
England and Wales · Girls28 shared years, 1996–2024
Karen held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Patricia in 21.
Highest recorded here: Karen #417 in 1996, Patricia #443 in 1996.
The order changed in 2006: Patricia moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #680 and #790; by 2006 that had become #717 and #649.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Karen #4843, Patricia #1353.
New Zealand · Girls23 shared years, 1954–1978
Karen held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Patricia in 1.
Highest recorded here: Karen #1 in 1957, Patricia #7 in 1955.
The order changed in 1955: Karen moved ahead. In 1954 they stood at #14 and #8; by 1955 that had become #6 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 1978: Karen #21, Patricia #85.
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 | Patricia |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 2 | 3 |
| 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, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #442 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Karen has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Patricia.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, 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 #442 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls
Patricia
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #385 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1954–1978
Highest recorded position: #7 among girls in New Zealand, in 1955 (recorded 1954–1978).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls