Namewise

Mary vs Wendy

Mary and Wendycompared 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.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 1998, Mary was ranked #71 and Wendy #351 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1981, Mary was ranked #75 and Wendy #85 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1978, Mary was ranked #88 and Wendy #86 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2022, Mary was ranked #87 and Wendy #502 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Mary was ranked #315 and Wendy #541 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Mary was ranked #337 and Wendy #2771 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2009, Mary was ranked #459 and Wendy #581 among girls in Norway.

Mary and Wendy over time

Mary and Wendy appear together in 5 published lists, across 168 years of shared records. Mary held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Wendy in 2.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Mary reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Wendy 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.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 27 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Mary and Wendy averaged 11.4 places apart, ending at #88 and #86.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Mary and Wendy were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 36 years, from 1953 to 2009, ending at #459 and #581.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Mary #118 in 1997, Wendy #820 in 1997.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls48 shared years, 1964–2022

    Mary held the stronger position in 48 of those years, Wendy in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Mary #1 in 1964, Wendy #108 in 1977.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Mary #87, Wendy #502.

  • Norway · Girls36 shared years, 1953–2009

    Mary held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Wendy in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Mary #86 in 1956, Wendy #319 in 1973.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2009: Mary #459, Wendy #581.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Mary held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Wendy in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Mary #118 in 1997, Wendy #820 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Mary #337, Wendy #2771.

  • New Zealand · Girls28 shared years, 1954–1981

    Mary held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Wendy in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Mary #6 in 1954, Wendy #8 in 1958.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1981: Mary #75, Wendy #85.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls27 shared years, 1952–1978

    Mary held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Wendy in 27.

    Highest recorded here: Mary #19 in 1952, Wendy #10 in 1958.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1978: Mary #88, Wendy #86.

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 Wendy

Pairs where Wendy 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 — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

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 1970s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1970 and 1979.

The 1970s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Mary, Wendy
FieldMaryWendy
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedPopularized by J. M. Barrie's 1904 play Peter Pan, where the character's name was created from the nickname 'fwendy' ('friend') given to Barrie by a young friend. Occasionally appeared before the play and may relate to Welsh names beginning with 'gwen' ('white, blessed'), though the name only became common after Barrie's play.
OriginNot yet recordedLiterary invention (English), with a possible Welsh connection
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈwɛn.di/
Syllables22
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)Scotland · Girls #541 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Wendy has a recorded origin (Literary invention (English), with a possible Welsh connection); Mary does not have one recorded yet.
  • Mary and Wendy both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Wendy; Mary doesn't have one written yet.
  • 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 #518 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls

Wendy

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #16 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

  2. Highest recorded1954–1981

    Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New Zealand, in 1958 (recorded 1954–1981).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #2771 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Girls