Lois vs Paula
Lois and Paulacompared 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 1957, Lois was ranked #91 and Paula #98 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Lois was ranked #288 and Paula #407 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Lois was ranked #374 and Paula #1491 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Lois was ranked #718 and Paula #718 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Lois and Paula over time
Lois and Paula appear together in 3 published lists, across 63 years of shared records. Lois held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Paula in 1.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Paula reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Lois 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1998, Lois moved ahead of Paula in Northern Ireland · Girls — #172 and #172 the year before became #105 and #213.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Lois and Paula changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1994 and 2025, ending at #718 and #718.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Lois #105 in 1998, Paula #172 in 1997.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Lois held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Paula in 0.
Highest recorded here: Lois #109 in 2008, Paula #549 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lois #374, Paula #1491.
Northern Ireland · Girls17 shared years, 1997–2024
Lois held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Paula in 0.
Highest recorded here: Lois #105 in 1998, Paula #172 in 1997.
The order changed in 1998: Lois moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #172 and #172; by 1998 that had become #105 and #213.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lois #288, Paula #407.
Republic of Ireland · Girls17 shared years, 1994–2025
Lois held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Paula in 13.
Highest recorded here: Lois #474 in 2018, Paula #116 in 1994.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lois #718, Paula #718.
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 | Lois | Paula |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #718 (2025) | Norway · Girls #521 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Lois has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Paula.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Lois
Popularity journey
First recorded1954
First recorded at #82 among girls in New Zealand in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Girls
Highest recorded1954–1957
Highest recorded position: #82 among girls in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1957).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #718 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Paula
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #264 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1954–1984
Highest recorded position: #15 among girls in New Zealand, in 1970 (recorded 1954–1984).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #521 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls