Olive vs Rita
Olive and Rita compared 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.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Olive was ranked #47 and Rita #719 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Olive was ranked #106 and Rita #431 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Olive was ranked #209 and Rita #264 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Olive was ranked #247 and Rita #718 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Olive and Rita over time
Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.
Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.
Olive and Rita over time
Olive and Rita appear together in 2 published lists, across 83 years of shared records. Olive held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Rita in 0.
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.
Rita reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Olive 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Olive and Rita changed places 6 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2025, ending at #47 and #719.
- Longest-running competitions
Olive and Rita were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #47 and #719.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls53 shared years, 1964–2025
Olive held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Rita in 23.
Highest recorded here: Olive #34 in 1975, Rita #59 in 1964.
The order changed in 2021: Olive moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #444 and #375; by 2021 that had become #322 and #517.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Olive #247, Rita #718.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Olive held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Rita in 2.
Highest recorded here: Olive #47 in 2025, Rita #573 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Olive #47, Rita #719.
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 Olive
Pairs where Olive shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Christine vs Olive
In 1964 they stood at #65 and #72 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2025 they were #885 and #247.
Christine · Olive · 56 shared years, 1964–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Suzanne vs Olive
In 1964 they stood at #67 and #72 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2018 they were #734 and #361.
Suzanne · Olive · 48 shared years, 1964–2018 · Started together, ended far apart
- Deborah vs Olive
In 1964 they stood at #76 and #72 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 4 places apart; by 2025 they were #608 and #247.
Deborah · Olive · 55 shared years, 1964–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Olive vs Katherine
In 1964 they stood at #72 and #77 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #247 and #608.
Olive · Katherine · 58 shared years, 1964–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
Other comparisons involving Rita
Pairs where Rita shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Alice vs Rita
In 1964 they stood at #57 and #59 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 2 places apart; by 2025 they were #41 and #718.
Alice · Rita · 55 shared years, 1964–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Orla vs Rita
In 1964 they stood at #52 and #59 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2025 they were #189 and #718.
Orla · Rita · 55 shared years, 1964–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Jane vs Rita
In 1964 they stood at #59 and #59 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 0 places apart; by 2025 they were #213 and #718.
Jane · Rita · 55 shared years, 1964–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Louise vs Rita
In 1964 they stood at #54 and #59 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #213 and #718.
Louise · Rita · 55 shared years, 1964–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
Other pairs with the same kind of relationship
Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — repeatedly exchanged positions.
- Frank vs Vidar
Frank and Vidar changed places 36 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2025, ending at #459 and #478.
Frank · Vidar · 77 shared years, 1945–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
- Helge vs Rolf
Helge and Rolf changed places 35 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2025, ending at #352 and #437.
Helge · Rolf · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
- Stein vs Arild
Stein and Arild changed places 34 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2014, ending at #452 and #408.
Stein · Arild · 67 shared years, 1945–2014 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
- Inger vs Kari
Inger and Kari changed places 33 times in Norway · Girls between 1945 and 2025, ending at #292 and #222.
Inger · Kari · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · 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.
- Grace vs Sinead
In 1964 they stood at #118 and #109 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2022 they were #2 and #905.
Grace · Sinead · 58 shared years, 1964–2022 · Started together, ended far apart
- Grace vs Therese
In 1964 they stood at #118 and #127 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2015 they were #8 and #896.
Grace · Therese · 51 shared years, 1964–2015 · Started together, ended far apart
- Sarah vs Lorraine
In 1964 they stood at #46 and #47 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2018 they were #21 and #896.
Sarah · Lorraine · 50 shared years, 1964–2018 · Started together, ended far apart
- Grace vs Pamela
In 1964 they stood at #118 and #116 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 2 places apart; by 2017 they were #3 and #873.
Grace · Pamela · 46 shared years, 1964–2017 · Started together, ended far apart
Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s
Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.
- Grace vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #41 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2025 they were #27 and #4867.
Grace · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Ella vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #56 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2025 they were #46 and #4867.
Ella · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Jasmine vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #55 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #102 and #4867.
Jasmine · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Anna vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #47 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2025 they were #142 and #4867.
Anna · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
Side by side
| Field | Olive | Rita |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | New South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, New Zealand | England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #47 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #718 (2025) |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Olive has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Rita.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Olive
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #72 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded2010–2023
Highest recorded position: #21 among girls in New Zealand, in 2022 (recorded 2010–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #47 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Rita
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #116 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2024
Highest recorded position: #25 among girls in Norway, in 1963 (recorded 1945–2024).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #719 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls