Mary vs Sandra
Mary and Sandracompared 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 1980, Mary was ranked #65 and Sandra #98 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1981, Mary was ranked #100 and Sandra #91 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Mary was ranked #105 and Sandra #736 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2017, Mary was ranked #122 and Sandra #432 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Mary was ranked #518 and Sandra #257 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Mary was ranked #337 and Sandra #2771 among girls in England and Wales.
Mary and Sandra over time
Mary and Sandra appear together in 6 published lists, across 216 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.
Mary reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Sandra 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 1971, Sandra moved ahead of Mary in Norway · Girls — #190 and #205 the year before became #140 and #138.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Mary and Sandra changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1952 and 1981, ending at #100 and #91.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Mary and Sandra averaged 16.0 places apart, ending at #100 and #91.
- Longest-running competitions
Mary and Sandra were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 69 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #518 and #257.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Mary #1 in 1964, Sandra #14 in 1965.
List by list
Norway · Girls69 shared years, 1945–2025
Mary held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Sandra in 49.
Highest recorded here: Mary #59 in 1947, Sandra #20 in 1990.
The order changed in 1971: Sandra moved ahead. In 1970 they stood at #190 and #205; by 1971 that had become #140 and #138.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Mary #518, Sandra #257.
Republic of Ireland · Girls57 shared years, 1964–2024
Mary held the stronger position in 57 of those years, Sandra in 0.
Highest recorded here: Mary #1 in 1964, Sandra #14 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Mary #105, Sandra #736.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Mary held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Sandra in 0.
Highest recorded here: Mary #118 in 1997, Sandra #534 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Mary #337, Sandra #2771.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls29 shared years, 1952–1981
Mary held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Sandra in 26.
Highest recorded here: Mary #19 in 1952, Sandra #13 in 1961.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1981: Mary #100, Sandra #91.
New Zealand · Girls24 shared years, 1954–1980
Mary held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Sandra in 19.
Highest recorded here: Mary #6 in 1954, Sandra #3 in 1962.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1980: Mary #65, Sandra #98.
Northern Ireland · Girls8 shared years, 1997–2017
Mary held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Sandra in 0.
Highest recorded here: Mary #53 in 1997, Sandra #351 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Mary #122, Sandra #432.
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 | Sandra |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 2 |
| 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) | Norway · Girls #257 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Mary and Sandra both have 2 syllables.
- 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 #518 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls
Sandra
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #351 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1954–1980
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in New Zealand, in 1962 (recorded 1954–1980).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #257 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls