Lisa vs Nicola
Lisa and Nicolacompared 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 1996, Lisa was ranked #87 and Nicola #91 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1997, Lisa was ranked #100 and Nicola #94 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Lisa was ranked #320 and Nicola #898 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2013, Lisa was ranked #370 and Nicola #370 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Lisa was ranked #661 and Nicola #4201 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Lisa was ranked #790 and Nicola #790 among girls in Scotland.
Lisa and Nicola over time
Lisa and Nicola appear together in 4 published lists, across 140 years of shared records. Lisa held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Nicola in 1.
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.
Lisa reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Nicola in none. 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
Lisa and Nicola changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1962 and 1996, ending at #87 and #91.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 35 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Lisa and Nicola averaged 9.9 places apart, ending at #87 and #91.
- Longest-running competitions
Lisa and Nicola were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #661 and #4201.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Lisa #105 in 1996, Nicola #87 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls59 shared years, 1964–2024
Lisa held the stronger position in 46 of those years, Nicola in 12.
Highest recorded here: Lisa #3 in 1984, Nicola #17 in 1986.
The order changed in 2020: Lisa moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #551 and #551; by 2020 that had become #355 and #628.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lisa #320, Nicola #898.
New Zealand · Girls35 shared years, 1962–1996
Lisa held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Nicola in 8.
Highest recorded here: Lisa #1 in 1968, Nicola #2 in 1975.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1996: Lisa #87, Nicola #91.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Lisa held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Nicola in 20.
Highest recorded here: Lisa #105 in 1996, Nicola #87 in 1996.
The order changed in 2019: Lisa moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #1083 and #843; by 2019 that had become #881 and #1017.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lisa #661, Nicola #4201.
Northern Ireland · Girls16 shared years, 1997–2013
Lisa held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Nicola in 3.
Highest recorded here: Lisa #63 in 1997, Nicola #72 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2013: Lisa #370, Nicola #370.
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 | Nicola |
|---|---|---|
| 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 feminine form of Nicholas, from the Greek elements 'nike' (victory) and 'laos' (people). |
| Origin | Hebrew, short form of Elizabeth | Greek, feminine form |
| Pronunciation | /ˈliː.sə/ | /ˈnɪk.ə.lə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #174 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #4201 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| 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 Nicola is recorded with a Greek, feminine form origin.
- Lisa has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Nicola.
- Lisa's recorded meaning differs from Nicola's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, 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
Nicola
Popularity journey
First recorded1957
First recorded at #97 among girls in New Zealand in 1957 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Girls
Highest recorded1957–1996
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New Zealand, in 1975 (recorded 1957–1996).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #4201 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls