Mary vs Patricia
Mary and Patriciacompared 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 1978, Mary was ranked #73 and Patricia #85 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1979, Mary was ranked #79 and Patricia #89 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Mary was ranked #112 and Patricia #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2020, Mary was ranked #129 and Patricia #333 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Mary was ranked #329 and Patricia #1407 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2016, Mary was ranked #365 and Patricia #536 among girls in Norway.
Mary and Patricia over time
Mary and Patricia appear together in 6 published lists, across 217 years of shared records. Mary held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Patricia in 2.
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.
Mary reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Patricia 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 1978, Mary moved ahead of Patricia in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #89 and #76 the year before became #88 and #94.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Mary and Patricia changed places 9 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1952 and 1979, ending at #79 and #89.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 27 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Mary and Patricia averaged 6.9 places apart, ending at #79 and #89.
- Longest-running competitions
Mary and Patricia were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #329 and #1407.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Mary #118 in 1997, Patricia #443 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1964 they stood at #1 and #10 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2025 they were #112 and #608.
List by list
Norway · Girls62 shared years, 1946–2016
Mary held the stronger position in 60 of those years, Patricia in 2.
Highest recorded here: Mary #59 in 1947, Patricia #264 in 1966.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2016: Mary #365, Patricia #536.
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Mary held the stronger position in 62 of those years, Patricia in 0.
Highest recorded here: Mary #1 in 1964, Patricia #8 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Mary #112, Patricia #608.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Mary held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Patricia in 0.
Highest recorded here: Mary #118 in 1997, Patricia #443 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Mary #329, Patricia #1407.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls27 shared years, 1952–1979
Mary held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Patricia in 19.
Highest recorded here: Mary #19 in 1952, Patricia #8 in 1952.
The order changed in 1978: Mary moved ahead. In 1977 they stood at #89 and #76; by 1978 that had become #88 and #94.
Most recent shared year, 1979: Mary #79, Patricia #89.
New Zealand · Girls23 shared years, 1954–1978
Mary held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Patricia in 12.
Highest recorded here: Mary #6 in 1954, Patricia #7 in 1955.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1978: Mary #73, Patricia #85.
Northern Ireland · Girls13 shared years, 1997–2020
Mary held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Patricia in 0.
Highest recorded here: Mary #53 in 1997, Patricia #139 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Mary #129, Patricia #333.
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 | Mary | Patricia |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #112 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Mary has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Patricia.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Mary
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #67 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #329 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Patricia
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #385 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1954–1978
Highest recorded position: #7 among girls in New Zealand, in 1955 (recorded 1954–1978).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #1407 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls