Namewise

Natalie vs Vanessa

Natalie 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 2001, Natalie was ranked #43 and Vanessa #93 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1995, Natalie was ranked #76 and Vanessa #86 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Natalie was ranked #269 and Vanessa #187 among girls in Norway.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2018, Natalie was ranked #238 and Vanessa #361 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Natalie was ranked #541 and Vanessa #351 among girls in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Natalie was ranked #381 and Vanessa #413 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Natalie was ranked #503 and Vanessa #533 among girls in England and Wales.

Natalie and Vanessa over time

Natalie and Vanessa appear together in 6 published lists, across 221 years of shared records. Natalie held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Vanessa in 1.

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.

Natalie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Vanessa in 2. 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 1973, Natalie moved ahead of Vanessa in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #26 and #25 the year before became #14 and #30.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Natalie and Vanessa changed places 4 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2018, ending at #238 and #361.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 37 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Natalie and Vanessa averaged 26.9 places apart, ending at #43 and #93.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Natalie and Vanessa were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 37 years, from 1964 to 2001, ending at #43 and #93.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Natalie #42 in 1996, Vanessa #202 in 1996.

List by list

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

    Natalie held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Vanessa in 39.

    Highest recorded here: Natalie #76 in 1992, Vanessa #97 in 1993.

    The order changed in 2024: Natalie moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #495 and #404; by 2024 that had become #342 and #504.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Natalie #381, Vanessa #413.

  • Norway · Girls52 shared years, 1970–2025

    Natalie held the stronger position in 42 of those years, Vanessa in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Natalie #69 in 2005, Vanessa #136 in 2019.

    The order changed in 2022: Vanessa moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #200 and #272; by 2022 that had become #251 and #181.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Natalie #269, Vanessa #187.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls37 shared years, 1964–2001

    Natalie held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Vanessa in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Natalie #9 in 1976, Vanessa #17 in 1975.

    The order changed in 1973: Natalie moved ahead. In 1972 they stood at #26 and #25; by 1973 that had become #14 and #30.

    Most recent shared year, 2001: Natalie #43, Vanessa #93.

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

    Natalie held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Vanessa in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Natalie #42 in 1996, Vanessa #202 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Natalie #503, Vanessa #533.

  • New Zealand · Girls28 shared years, 1967–1995

    Natalie held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Vanessa in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Natalie #16 in 1984, Vanessa #15 in 1973.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1995: Natalie #76, Vanessa #86.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls14 shared years, 1997–2018

    Natalie held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Vanessa in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Natalie #66 in 1997, Vanessa #163 in 2012.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2018: Natalie #238, Vanessa #361.

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 Natalie

Pairs where Natalie 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 — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Natalie, Vanessa
FieldNatalieVanessa
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningFrom the Roman names Natalis/Natalia, from Latin 'natalis' ('relating to birth, birthday') — connecting the name to Christmas Day as Jesus's traditional birthday.Not yet recorded
OriginLatinNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈnæt.ə.li/
Syllables33
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 observationNorway · Girls #269 (2025)Norway · Girls #187 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Natalie has a recorded origin (Latin); Vanessa does not have one recorded yet.
  • Natalie and Vanessa both have 3 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Natalie; Vanessa 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

Natalie

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #92 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2014

    Highest recorded position: #9 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1976 (recorded 1964–2014).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #269 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · 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 #187 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls