Namewise

Mary vs Vanessa

Mary and Vanessacompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1981, Mary was ranked #100 and Vanessa #45 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1991, Mary was ranked #89 and Vanessa #75 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Mary was ranked #112 and Vanessa #413 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2023, Mary was ranked #171 and Vanessa #391 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Mary was ranked #518 and Vanessa #187 among girls in Norway.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Mary was ranked #315 and Vanessa #351 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Mary was ranked #329 and Vanessa #719 among girls in England and Wales.

Mary and Vanessa over time

Mary and Vanessa appear together in 6 published lists, across 198 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

The order between them changed and held in 3 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 5 of those lists, Vanessa 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 took the other's place near the top

    In New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Vanessa moved into the top 50 at #33 in 1969 as Mary fell out of it to #55, having been #41 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1969, Vanessa moved ahead of Mary in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #41 and #45 the year before became #55 and #33.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 24 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Mary and Vanessa averaged 37.6 places apart, ending at #89 and #75.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Mary and Vanessa were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #329 and #719.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Mary #118 in 1997, Vanessa #202 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls61 shared years, 1965–2025

    Mary held the stronger position in 61 of those years, Vanessa in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Mary #1 in 1965, Vanessa #97 in 1993.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Mary #112, Vanessa #413.

  • Norway · Girls48 shared years, 1970–2025

    Mary held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Vanessa in 27.

    Highest recorded here: Mary #140 in 1971, Vanessa #136 in 2019.

    The order changed in 1994: Vanessa moved ahead. In 1993 they stood at #225 and #285; by 1994 that had become #341 and #251.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Mary #518, Vanessa #187.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Mary held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Vanessa in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Mary #118 in 1997, Vanessa #202 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Mary #329, Vanessa #719.

  • New Zealand · Girls24 shared years, 1967–1991

    Mary held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Vanessa in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Mary #42 in 1967, Vanessa #15 in 1973.

    The order changed in 1969: Vanessa moved ahead. In 1968 they stood at #47 and #49; by 1969 that had become #53 and #34.

    Most recent shared year, 1991: Mary #89, Vanessa #75.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls18 shared years, 1963–1981

    Mary held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Vanessa in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Mary #23 in 1964, Vanessa #17 in 1975.

    The order changed in 1969: Vanessa moved ahead. In 1968 they stood at #41 and #45; by 1969 that had become #55 and #33.

    Most recent shared year, 1981: Mary #100, Vanessa #45.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls17 shared years, 1997–2023

    Mary held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Vanessa in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Mary #53 in 1997, Vanessa #163 in 2012.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Mary #171, Vanessa #391.

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 Mary

Pairs where Mary shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Vanessa

Pairs where Vanessa shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1980s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1980 and 1989.

The 1980s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Mary, Vanessa
FieldMaryVanessa
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recorded
Syllables23
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #112 (2025)Norway · Girls #187 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Mary has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Vanessa.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Mary

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #329 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Vanessa

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1963

    First recorded at #99 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1963 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1967–1995

    Highest recorded position: #15 among girls in New Zealand, in 1973 (recorded 1967–1995).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #719 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls