Marilyn vs Tess
Marilyn and Tesscompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Marilyn was ranked #856 and Tess #163 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2015, Marilyn was ranked #426 and Tess #358 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Marilyn was ranked #1541 and Tess #2771 among girls in England and Wales.
Marilyn and Tess over time
Marilyn and Tess appear together in 1 published list, across 26 years of shared records. Tess held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Marilyn in 0.
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.
Tess reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Marilyn 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls26 shared years, 1996–2024
Marilyn held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Tess in 25.
Highest recorded here: Marilyn #1541 in 2024, Tess #438 in 2009.
The order changed in 2024: Marilyn moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #2063 and #1774; by 2024 that had become #1541 and #2771.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Marilyn #1541, Tess #2771.
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 | Marilyn | Tess |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 3 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #1541 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #148 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Marilyn has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Tess.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Marilyn
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #28 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1956
Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1953 (recorded 1952–1956).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1541 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls
Tess
Popularity journey
First recorded1990
First recorded at #517 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1990 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1990–2025
Highest recorded position: #133 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2021 (recorded 1990–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #148 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls