Namewise

Lena vs Nicole

Lena and Nicolecompared 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.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Lena was ranked #207 and Nicole #638 among girls in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Lena was ranked #266 and Nicole #381 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Lena was ranked #283 and Nicole #328 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Lena was ranked #288 and Nicole #407 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Lena was ranked #294 and Nicole #448 among girls in Norway.

Lena and Nicole over time

Lena and Nicole appear together in 4 published lists, across 167 years of shared records. Nicole held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Lena in 1.

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.

Nicole 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 2013, Lena moved ahead of Nicole in England and Wales · Girls — #137 and #119 the year before became #128 and #138.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Lena and Nicole changed places 9 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2025, ending at #266 and #381.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Lena and Nicole were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 57 years, from 1969 to 2025, ending at #294 and #448.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Lena held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Nicole in 52.

    Highest recorded here: Lena #71 in 2012, Nicole #15 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2025: Lena moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #232 and #191; by 2025 that had become #266 and #381.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Lena #266, Nicole #381.

  • Norway · Girls57 shared years, 1969–2025

    Lena held the stronger position in 57 of those years, Nicole in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Lena #20 in 1969, Nicole #205 in 2003.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Lena #294, Nicole #448.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Lena held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Nicole in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Lena #128 in 2013, Nicole #36 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2013: Lena moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #137 and #119; by 2013 that had become #128 and #138.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Lena #283, Nicole #328.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 2001–2024

    Lena held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Nicole in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Lena #131 in 2012, Nicole #18 in 2001.

    The order changed in 2016: Lena moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #144 and #116; by 2016 that had become #159 and #202.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Lena #288, Nicole #407.

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 Lena

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

Other comparisons involving Nicole

Pairs where Nicole 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 — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Lena, Nicole
FieldLenaNicole
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningA short form of names ending in '-lena', such as Helena, Magdalena or Yelena — widely used independently.The French feminine form of Nicholas, from the Greek elements 'nike' (victory) and 'laos' (people).
OriginUsed across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and German traditionsGreek, via French transmission
Pronunciation/ˈleː.na//nɪ.ˈkoʊl/
Syllables23
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NOAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #266 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #381 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Lena is recorded with a Used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and German traditions origin, while Nicole is recorded with a Greek, via French transmission origin.
  • Lena has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Nicole.
  • Lena's recorded meaning differs from Nicole'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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #20 among girls in Norway, in 1969 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #294 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls

Nicole

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #91 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2002

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1975 (recorded 1964–2002).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #448 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls