Karen vs Sive
Karen and Sivecompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2019, Karen was ranked #871 and Sive #716 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2016, Karen was ranked #1689 and Sive #5785 among girls in England and Wales.
Karen and Sive over time
Karen and Sive appear together in 1 published list, across 30 years of shared records. Karen held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Sive in 0.
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 1 of those lists, and Sive 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 Sive changed places 7 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1969 and 2019, ending at #871 and #716.
- Longest-running competitions
Karen and Sive were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 30 years, from 1969 to 2019, ending at #871 and #716.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls30 shared years, 1969–2019
Karen held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Sive in 4.
Highest recorded here: Karen #9 in 1981, Sive #373 in 2007.
The order changed in 2018: Sive moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #471 and #873; by 2018 that had become #629 and #629.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Karen #871, Sive #716.
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.
Where to go next
Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.
Other comparisons involving Karen
Pairs where Karen shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Karen vs Anna
In 1964 they stood at #41 and #34 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2019 they were #871 and #19.
Karen · Anna · 56 shared years, 1964–2019 · Started together, ended far apart
- Karen vs Julia
In 1964 they stood at #41 and #42 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2019 they were #871 and #59.
Karen · Julia · 56 shared years, 1964–2019 · Started together, ended far apart
- Karen vs Maria
In 1964 they stood at #41 and #33 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 8 places apart; by 2019 they were #871 and #63.
Karen · Maria · 56 shared years, 1964–2019 · Started together, ended far apart
- Karen vs Christina
In 1964 they stood at #41 and #40 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2019 they were #871 and #325.
Karen · Christina · 56 shared years, 1964–2019 · Started together, ended far apart
Side by side
| Field | Karen | Sive |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | GB-ENW, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #442 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #586 (2021) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 60/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Karen and Sive both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
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
Sive
Popularity journey
First recorded1969
First recorded at #443 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1969 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1969–2021
Highest recorded position: #373 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2007 (recorded 1969–2021).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2021
Most recently recorded at #586 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2021.
Republic of Ireland · Girls