Madeline vs Pauline
Madeline and Paulinecompared 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.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Madeline was ranked #304 and Pauline #4201 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2018, Madeline was ranked #734 and Pauline #896 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Madeline and Pauline over time
Madeline and Pauline appear together in 2 published lists, across 67 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Pauline reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Madeline 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Madeline and Pauline were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 39 years, from 1964 to 2018, ending at #734 and #896.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Madeline #140 in 1964, Pauline #12 in 1964.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls39 shared years, 1964–2018
Madeline held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Pauline in 34.
Highest recorded here: Madeline #140 in 1964, Pauline #12 in 1964.
The order changed in 2016: Madeline moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #695 and #695; by 2016 that had become #316 and #868.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Madeline #734, Pauline #896.
England and Wales · Girls28 shared years, 1996–2025
Madeline held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Pauline in 0.
Highest recorded here: Madeline #110 in 2003, Pauline #1076 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Madeline #304, Pauline #4201.
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 Pauline
Pairs where Pauline shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Elizabeth vs Pauline
In 1964 they stood at #6 and #12 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2018 they were #91 and #896.
Elizabeth · Pauline · 45 shared years, 1964–2018 · Started together, ended far apart
- Catherine vs Pauline
In 1964 they stood at #2 and #12 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 10 places apart; by 2018 they were #124 and #896.
Catherine · Pauline · 45 shared years, 1964–2018 · Started together, ended far apart
- Margaret vs Pauline
In 1964 they stood at #3 and #12 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2018 they were #150 and #896.
Margaret · Pauline · 45 shared years, 1964–2018 · Started together, ended far apart
- Bridget vs Pauline
In 1964 they stood at #8 and #12 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 4 places apart; by 2018 they were #188 and #896.
Bridget · Pauline · 45 shared years, 1964–2018 · Started together, ended far apart
Side by side
| Field | Madeline | Pauline |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 4 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #304 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #4201 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Madeline has 4 syllables, compared with 3 for Pauline.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Madeline
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #140 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1992–2019
Highest recorded position: #32 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1997 (recorded 1992–2019).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #304 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Pauline
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #396 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2018
Highest recorded position: #12 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2018).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #4201 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls