Namewise

Laura vs Zoe

Laura and Zoecompared 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 2009, Laura was ranked #90 and Zoe #17 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2008, Laura was ranked #71 and Zoe #22 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Laura was ranked #112 and Zoe #46 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Laura was ranked #351 and Zoe #76 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Laura was ranked #303 and Zoe #104 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Laura was ranked #253 and Zoe #105 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Laura was ranked #141 and Zoe #313 among girls in Norway.

Laura and Zoe over time

Laura and Zoe appear together in 6 published lists, across 192 years of shared records. Laura held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Zoe in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 5 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Laura reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Zoe 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 took the other's place near the top

    In New Zealand · Girls, Zoe moved into the top 50 at #23 in 2004 as Laura fell out of it to #53, having been #32 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2002, Zoe moved ahead of Laura in England and Wales · Girls — #37 and #43 the year before became #48 and #43.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Laura and Zoe averaged 51.5 places apart, ending at #303 and #104.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Laura and Zoe were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #303 and #104.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Laura #17 in 1996, Zoe #31 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls57 shared years, 1968–2025

    Laura held the stronger position in 43 of those years, Zoe in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Laura #2 in 1985, Zoe #26 in 2016.

    The order changed in 2012: Zoe moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #36 and #37; by 2012 that had become #36 and #34.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Laura #112, Zoe #46.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Laura held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Zoe in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Laura #17 in 1996, Zoe #31 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2002: Zoe moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #37 and #43; by 2002 that had become #48 and #43.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Laura #303, Zoe #104.

  • Norway · Girls29 shared years, 1987–2025

    Laura held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Zoe in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Laura #99 in 2024, Zoe #211 in 2020.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Laura #141, Zoe #313.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls28 shared years, 1981–2009

    Laura held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Zoe in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Laura #9 in 1994, Zoe #14 in 2001.

    The order changed in 2000: Zoe moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #21 and #24; by 2000 that had become #22 and #17.

    Most recent shared year, 2009: Laura #90, Zoe #17.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Laura held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Zoe in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Laura #13 in 1997, Zoe #32 in 2002.

    The order changed in 2006: Zoe moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #42 and #49; by 2006 that had become #43 and #43.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Laura #253, Zoe #105.

  • New Zealand · Girls20 shared years, 1988–2008

    Laura held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Zoe in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Laura #8 in 1995, Zoe #19 in 2006.

    The order changed in 2004: Zoe moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #32 and #36; by 2004 that had become #53 and #23.

    Most recent shared year, 2008: Laura #71, Zoe #22.

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 Laura

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

Other comparisons involving Zoe

Pairs where Zoe 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 — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

Pairs measured inside New Zealand'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 Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2000s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2000 and 2009.

The 2000s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Laura, Zoe
FieldLauraZoe
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningFrom Latin 'laurus' meaning 'laurel' — laurel wreaths honoured victors in ancient Rome. Also the subject of 14th-century Italian poet Petrarch's poems.Means 'life' in Greek.
OriginLatinAncient Greek
Pronunciation/ˈlɔɹ.ə//ˈzoʊi/
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #112 (2025)New South Wales, Australia · Girls #19 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Laura is recorded with a Latin origin, while Zoe is recorded with a Ancient Greek origin.
  • Laura has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Zoe.
  • Laura's recorded meaning differs from Zoe's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Laura

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #313 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1985 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #303 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Zoe

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1968

    First recorded at #401 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1968 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1981–2025

    Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2015 (recorded 1981–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #104 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls