Lena vs Lisa
Lena and Lisacompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2019, Lena was ranked #144 and Lisa #336 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Lena was ranked #294 and Lisa #174 among girls in Norway.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Lena was ranked #207 and Lisa #790 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Lena was ranked #266 and Lisa #443 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Lena was ranked #283 and Lisa #795 among girls in England and Wales.
Lena and Lisa over time
Lena and Lisa appear together in 4 published lists, across 180 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Lisa reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Lena 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 moved ahead of the other
In 2009, Lena moved ahead of Lisa in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #189 and #155 the year before became #119 and #193.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Lena and Lisa changed places 12 times in Norway · Girls between 1945 and 2025, ending at #294 and #174.
- Longest-running competitions
Lena and Lisa were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 80 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #294 and #174.
List by list
Norway · Girls80 shared years, 1945–2025
Lena held the stronger position in 43 of those years, Lisa in 37.
Highest recorded here: Lena #20 in 1969, Lisa #37 in 1994.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lena #294, Lisa #174.
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Lena held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Lisa in 45.
Highest recorded here: Lena #71 in 2012, Lisa #3 in 1984.
The order changed in 2009: Lena moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #189 and #155; by 2009 that had become #119 and #193.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lena #266, Lisa #443.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Lena held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Lisa in 12.
Highest recorded here: Lena #128 in 2013, Lisa #105 in 1996.
The order changed in 2008: Lena moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #544 and #346; by 2008 that had become #341 and #462.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lena #283, Lisa #795.
Northern Ireland · Girls9 shared years, 2001–2019
Lena held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Lisa in 5.
Highest recorded here: Lena #137 in 2010, Lisa #95 in 2001.
The order changed in 2010: Lena moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #419 and #174; by 2010 that had become #137 and #237.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Lena #144, Lisa #336.
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 | Lena | Lisa |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A short form of names ending in '-lena', such as Helena, Magdalena or Yelena — widely used independently. | A short form of Elizabeth, often used independently — notably the name of the subject of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. |
| Origin | Used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and German traditions | Hebrew, short form of Elizabeth |
| Pronunciation | /ˈleː.na/ | /ˈliː.sə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #266 (2025) | Norway · Girls #174 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Lena is recorded with a Used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and German traditions origin, while Lisa is recorded with a Hebrew, short form of Elizabeth origin.
- Lena and Lisa both have 2 syllables.
- Lena's recorded meaning differs from Lisa's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Lena
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #346 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 1969 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #294 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls
Lisa
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #330 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1962–1997
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 1968 (recorded 1962–1997).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #174 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls