Namewise

Lisa vs Stephanie

Lisa and Stephaniecompared 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 1997, Lisa was ranked #100 and Stephanie #18 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1997, Lisa was ranked #85 and Stephanie #43 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2018, Lisa was ranked #144 and Stephanie #527 among girls in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Lisa was ranked #443 and Stephanie #294 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2013, Lisa was ranked #370 and Stephanie #440 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Lisa was ranked #790 and Stephanie #541 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Lisa was ranked #795 and Stephanie #811 among girls in England and Wales.

Lisa and Stephanie over time

Lisa and Stephanie appear together in 6 published lists, across 214 years of shared records. Lisa held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Stephanie in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 4 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, Stephanie 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 1987, Stephanie moved ahead of Lisa in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #16 and #19 the year before became #19 and #16.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Lisa and Stephanie changed places 5 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2013, ending at #370 and #440.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 33 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Lisa and Stephanie averaged 58.5 places apart, ending at #100 and #18.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Lisa and Stephanie were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 33 years, from 1965 to 1997, ending at #100 and #18.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Lisa #105 in 1996, Stephanie #48 in 1996.

List by list

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

    Lisa held the stronger position in 51 of those years, Stephanie in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Lisa #3 in 1984, Stephanie #23 in 1990.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Lisa #443, Stephanie #294.

  • Norway · Girls38 shared years, 1966–2018

    Lisa held the stronger position in 38 of those years, Stephanie in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Lisa #37 in 1994, Stephanie #178 in 1989.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2018: Lisa #144, Stephanie #527.

  • New Zealand · Girls36 shared years, 1962–1997

    Lisa held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Stephanie in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Lisa #1 in 1968, Stephanie #11 in 1991.

    The order changed in 1989: Stephanie moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #13 and #17; by 1989 that had become #19 and #14.

    Most recent shared year, 1997: Lisa #85, Stephanie #43.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls33 shared years, 1965–1997

    Lisa held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Stephanie in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Lisa #2 in 1968, Stephanie #5 in 1994.

    The order changed in 1987: Stephanie moved ahead. In 1986 they stood at #16 and #19; by 1987 that had become #19 and #16.

    Most recent shared year, 1997: Lisa #100, Stephanie #18.

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

    Lisa held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Stephanie in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Lisa #105 in 1996, Stephanie #48 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2024: Lisa moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #734 and #516; by 2024 that had become #795 and #811.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Lisa #795, Stephanie #811.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls16 shared years, 1997–2013

    Lisa held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Stephanie in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Lisa #63 in 1997, Stephanie #50 in 1997.

    The order changed in 2013: Lisa moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #363 and #363; by 2013 that had become #370 and #440.

    Most recent shared year, 2013: Lisa #370, Stephanie #440.

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 Lisa

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

Other comparisons involving Stephanie

Pairs where Stephanie 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 Lisa, Stephanie
FieldLisaStephanie
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningA short form of Elizabeth, often used independently — notably the name of the subject of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa.The feminine form of Stephen, from Greek Stephanos meaning 'crown, wreath'.
OriginHebrew, short form of ElizabethGreek
Pronunciation/ˈliː.sə//ˈstɛf.ə.ni/
Syllables23
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 observationNorway · Girls #174 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #294 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10065/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10070/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Lisa is recorded with a Hebrew, short form of Elizabeth origin, while Stephanie is recorded with a Greek origin.
  • Lisa has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Stephanie.
  • Lisa's recorded meaning differs from Stephanie'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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1962–1997

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 1968 (recorded 1962–1997).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #174 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls

Stephanie

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1953

    First recorded at #97 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1953–2010

    Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1994 (recorded 1953–2010).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #294 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls