Kirsten vs Mary
Kirsten and Marycompared 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 1989, Kirsten was ranked #99 and Mary #83 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2019, Kirsten was ranked #621 and Mary #92 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2015, Kirsten was ranked #426 and Mary #116 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Kirsten was ranked #5891 and Mary #337 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Kirsten was ranked #510 and Mary #518 among girls in Norway.
Kirsten and Mary over time
Kirsten and Mary appear together in 5 published lists, across 165 years of shared records. Mary held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Kirsten in 1.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Mary reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Kirsten in 2. 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
Kirsten and Mary changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1968 and 1989, ending at #99 and #83.
- Longest-running competitions
Kirsten and Mary were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 64 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #510 and #518.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Kirsten #195 in 1996, Mary #118 in 1997.
List by list
Norway · Girls64 shared years, 1945–2025
Kirsten held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Mary in 25.
Highest recorded here: Kirsten #20 in 1945, Mary #59 in 1947.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Kirsten #510, Mary #518.
Republic of Ireland · Girls43 shared years, 1971–2019
Kirsten held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mary in 43.
Highest recorded here: Kirsten #186 in 2006, Mary #1 in 1971.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Kirsten #621, Mary #92.
England and Wales · Girls27 shared years, 1996–2024
Kirsten held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mary in 27.
Highest recorded here: Kirsten #195 in 1996, Mary #118 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kirsten #5891, Mary #337.
Northern Ireland · Girls16 shared years, 1997–2015
Kirsten held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mary in 16.
Highest recorded here: Kirsten #75 in 1998, Mary #53 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Kirsten #426, Mary #116.
New Zealand · Girls15 shared years, 1968–1989
Kirsten held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Mary in 10.
Highest recorded here: Kirsten #38 in 1974, Mary #47 in 1968.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1989: Kirsten #99, Mary #83.
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 | Kirsten | Mary |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #510 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #112 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Kirsten and Mary both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Kirsten
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #20 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #20 among girls in Norway, in 1945 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #510 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls
Mary
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #67 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #329 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls