Kerry vs Marilyn

Kerry and Marilyncompared 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 1956, Kerry was ranked #11 and Marilyn #93 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1957, Kerry was ranked #66 and Marilyn #82 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2015, Kerry was ranked #358 and Marilyn #426 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2018, Kerry was ranked #896 and Marilyn #629 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Kerry was ranked #4843 and Marilyn #1541 among girls in England and Wales.

Kerry and Marilyn over time

Kerry and Marilyn appear together in 2 published lists, across 40 years of shared records. Kerry held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Marilyn in 0.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.

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.

List by list

England and Wales · Girls22 shared years, 1996–2024
Kerry held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Marilyn in 9.
Highest recorded here: Kerry #136 in 1996, Marilyn #1541 in 2024.
The order changed in 2013: Marilyn moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #2215 and #2521; by 2013 that had become #4739 and #1707.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kerry #4843, Marilyn #1541.
Republic of Ireland · Girls18 shared years, 1969–2018
Kerry held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Marilyn in 2.
Highest recorded here: Kerry #220 in 1977, Marilyn #326 in 1971.
The order changed in 2018: Marilyn moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #310 and #516; by 2018 that had become #896 and #629.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Kerry #896, Marilyn #629.

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 Kerry

Pairs where Kerry shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Kerry vs Molly
In 1997 they stood at #83 and #89 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2020 they were #397 and #22.
Kerry · Molly · 18 shared years, 1997–2020 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2020 Northern Ireland ranking
Kerry vs Cara
In 1997 they stood at #83 and #85 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 2 places apart; by 2020 they were #397 and #31.
Kerry · Cara · 18 shared years, 1997–2020 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2020 Northern Ireland ranking
Kerry vs Clodagh
In 1997 they stood at #83 and #87 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 4 places apart; by 2020 they were #397 and #47.
Kerry · Clodagh · 18 shared years, 1997–2020 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2020 Northern Ireland ranking
Robyn vs Kerry
In 1997 they stood at #77 and #83 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2020 they were #74 and #397.
Robyn · Kerry · 18 shared years, 1997–2020 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2020 Northern Ireland ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Kerry, Marilyn
Field	Kerry	Marilyn
Record type	Official statistical record (evidence-only)	Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usage	Used for both boys and girls	female
Meaning	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Origin	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Pronunciation	Not yet recorded	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, NZ	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	England and Wales · Girls #4843 (2024)	England and Wales · Girls #1541 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	94/100	82/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Kerry has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Marilyn.
Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Kerry

Popularity journey

First recorded1952
First recorded at #23 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 recorded1952–1976
Highest recorded position: #11 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1956 (recorded 1952–1976).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #4843 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls

Marilyn

Popularity journey

First recorded1952
First recorded at #28 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 recorded1952–1956
Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1953 (recorded 1952–1956).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1541 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls