Namewise

Kerry vs Wendy

Kerry and Wendycompared 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, Kerry was ranked #91 and Wendy #61 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1976, Kerry was ranked #97 and Wendy #64 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 1998, Kerry was ranked #91 and Wendy #351 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2020, Kerry was ranked #834 and Wendy #834 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Kerry was ranked #4843 and Wendy #2771 among girls in England and Wales.

Kerry and Wendy over time

Kerry and Wendy appear together in 4 published lists, across 111 years of shared records. Wendy held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Kerry in 1.

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.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 2 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.

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

    Kerry and Wendy changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1952 and 1976, ending at #97 and #64.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 25 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Kerry and Wendy averaged 12.8 places apart, ending at #97 and #64.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Kerry and Wendy were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 40 years, from 1968 to 2020, ending at #834 and #834.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Kerry #136 in 1996, Wendy #820 in 1997.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls40 shared years, 1968–2020

    Kerry held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Wendy in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Kerry #149 in 2004, Wendy #108 in 1977.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2020: Kerry #834, Wendy #834.

  • England and Wales · Girls25 shared years, 1996–2024

    Kerry held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Wendy in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Kerry #136 in 1996, Wendy #820 in 1997.

    The order changed in 2011: Wendy moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #1993 and #2589; by 2011 that had become #2432 and #1608.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Kerry #4843, Wendy #2771.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls25 shared years, 1952–1976

    Kerry held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Wendy in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Kerry #11 in 1956, Wendy #10 in 1958.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1976: Kerry #97, Wendy #64.

  • New Zealand · Girls21 shared years, 1956–1978

    Kerry held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Wendy in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Kerry #53 in 1960, Wendy #8 in 1958.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1978: Kerry #91, Wendy #61.

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.

Other comparisons involving Wendy

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

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1970s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1970 and 1979.

The 1970s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Kerry, Wendy
FieldKerryWendy
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usageUsed for both boys and girlsfemale
MeaningNot yet recordedPopularized by J. M. Barrie's 1904 play Peter Pan, where the character's name was created from the nickname 'fwendy' ('friend') given to Barrie by a young friend. Occasionally appeared before the play and may relate to Welsh names beginning with 'gwen' ('white, blessed'), though the name only became common after Barrie's play.
OriginNot yet recordedLiterary invention (English), with a possible Welsh connection
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈwɛn.di/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Girls #4843 (2024)England and Wales · Girls #1809 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Wendy has a recorded origin (Literary invention (English), with a possible Welsh connection); Kerry does not have one recorded yet.
  • Kerry and Wendy both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Wendy; Kerry doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Kerry

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–1976

    Highest recorded position: #11 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1956 (recorded 1952–1976).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #4843 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Girls

Wendy

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #16 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

  2. Highest recorded1954–1981

    Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New Zealand, in 1958 (recorded 1954–1981).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1809 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls