Lisa vs Maria
Lisa and Mariacompared 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 1985, Lisa was ranked #10 and Maria #95 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Lisa was ranked #174 and Maria #62 among girls in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Lisa was ranked #443 and Maria #74 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1997, Lisa was ranked #85 and Maria #93 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Lisa was ranked #661 and Maria #88 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2019, Lisa was ranked #336 and Maria #89 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Lisa was ranked #790 and Maria #120 among girls in Scotland.
Lisa and Maria over time
Lisa and Maria appear together in 6 published lists, across 250 years of shared records. Maria held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Lisa in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Maria reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Lisa 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1962, Lisa moved ahead of Maria in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #39 and #29 the year before became #25 and #28.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 26 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Lisa and Maria averaged 33.0 places apart, ending at #10 and #95.
- Longest-running competitions
Lisa and Maria were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #661 and #88.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Lisa #2 in 1968, Maria #13 in 1966.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #105 and #96 in England and Wales · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2025 they were #661 and #88.
List by list
Norway · Girls80 shared years, 1945–2025
Lisa held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Maria in 80.
Highest recorded here: Lisa #37 in 1994, Maria #3 in 1982.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lisa #174, Maria #62.
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Lisa held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Maria in 32.
Highest recorded here: Lisa #3 in 1984, Maria #23 in 1967.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lisa #443, Maria #74.
New Zealand · Girls35 shared years, 1962–1997
Lisa held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Maria in 4.
Highest recorded here: Lisa #1 in 1968, Maria #21 in 1967.
The order changed in 1966: Lisa moved ahead. In 1965 they stood at #31 and #28; by 1966 that had become #7 and #24.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Lisa #85, Maria #93.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Lisa held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Maria in 30.
Highest recorded here: Lisa #105 in 1996, Maria #66 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lisa #661, Maria #88.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls26 shared years, 1959–1985
Lisa held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Maria in 3.
Highest recorded here: Lisa #2 in 1968, Maria #13 in 1966.
The order changed in 1962: Lisa moved ahead. In 1961 they stood at #39 and #29; by 1962 that had become #25 and #28.
Most recent shared year, 1985: Lisa #10, Maria #95.
Northern Ireland · Girls17 shared years, 1997–2019
Lisa held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Maria in 17.
Highest recorded here: Lisa #63 in 1997, Maria #49 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Lisa #336, Maria #89.
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 | Lisa | Maria |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A short form of Elizabeth, often used independently — notably the name of the subject of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. | The Latin form of Greek Maria, from Hebrew Miryam (see Mary). |
| Origin | Hebrew, short form of Elizabeth | Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈliː.sə/ | /mɑ.ˈriː.ɑ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #174 (2025) | Norway · Girls #62 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Lisa is recorded with a Hebrew, short form of Elizabeth origin, while Maria is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission origin.
- Lisa and Maria both have 2 syllables.
- Lisa's recorded meaning differs from Maria'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
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 #661 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Maria
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #126 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: #3 among girls in Norway, in 1982 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #88 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls