Namewise

Patricia vs Vanessa

Patricia 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 Zealand · Girls

    In 1978, Patricia was ranked #85 and Vanessa #25 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1984, Patricia was ranked #98 and Vanessa #47 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2017, Patricia was ranked #544 and Vanessa #185 among girls in Norway.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2018, Patricia was ranked #434 and Vanessa #361 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Patricia was ranked #608 and Vanessa #413 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Patricia was ranked #1407 and Vanessa #719 among girls in England and Wales.

Patricia and Vanessa over time

Patricia and Vanessa appear together in 6 published lists, across 166 years of shared records. Vanessa held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Patricia in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 5 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Patricia reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Vanessa 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 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 Patricia fell out of it to #52, having been #38 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1969, Vanessa moved ahead of Patricia in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #38 and #45 the year before became #52 and #33.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Patricia and Vanessa changed places 5 times in Norway · Girls between 1970 and 2017, ending at #544 and #185.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Patricia and Vanessa were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1407 and #719.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Patricia #443 in 1996, Vanessa #202 in 1996.

List by list

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

    Patricia held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Vanessa in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Patricia #8 in 1965, Vanessa #97 in 1993.

    The order changed in 2007: Vanessa moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #203 and #220; by 2007 that had become #222 and #135.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Patricia #608, Vanessa #413.

  • Norway · Girls40 shared years, 1970–2017

    Patricia held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Vanessa in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Patricia #273 in 1974, Vanessa #146 in 2013.

    The order changed in 1987: Vanessa moved ahead. In 1986 they stood at #324 and #493; by 1987 that had become #379 and #315.

    Most recent shared year, 2017: Patricia #544, Vanessa #185.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Patricia #443 in 1996, Vanessa #202 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Patricia #1407, Vanessa #719.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls17 shared years, 1963–1984

    Patricia held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Vanessa in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Patricia #27 in 1963, Vanessa #17 in 1975.

    The order changed in 1969: Vanessa moved ahead. In 1968 they stood at #38 and #45; by 1969 that had become #52 and #33.

    Most recent shared year, 1984: Patricia #98, Vanessa #47.

  • New Zealand · Girls10 shared years, 1967–1978

    Patricia held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Vanessa in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Patricia #38 in 1968, Vanessa #15 in 1973.

    The order changed in 1969: Vanessa moved ahead. In 1968 they stood at #38 and #49; by 1969 that had become #61 and #34.

    Most recent shared year, 1978: Patricia #85, Vanessa #25.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls8 shared years, 1997–2018

    Patricia held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Vanessa in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Patricia #139 in 1997, Vanessa #224 in 2011.

    The order changed in 2008: Vanessa moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #284 and #331; by 2008 that had become #370 and #228.

    Most recent shared year, 2018: Patricia #434, 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 Patricia

Pairs where Patricia 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 Patricia, Vanessa
FieldPatriciaVanessa
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Pronunciation
Syllables33
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025)Norway · Girls #187 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)76/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Patricia and Vanessa both have 3 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Patricia

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #385 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1954–1978

    Highest recorded position: #7 among girls in New Zealand, in 1955 (recorded 1954–1978).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1407 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