Namewise

Paula vs Susan

Paula and Susancompared 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 1976, Paula was ranked #98 and Susan #36 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1984, Paula was ranked #93 and Susan #86 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2003, Paula was ranked #285 and Susan #570 among girls in Norway.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2017, Paula was ranked #432 and Susan #432 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2023, Paula was ranked #727 and Susan #856 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Paula was ranked #1584 and Susan #2440 among girls in England and Wales.

Paula and Susan over time

Paula and Susan appear together in 6 published lists, across 192 years of shared records. Susan held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Paula in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Susan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Paula 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.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Paula and Susan changed places 7 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2025, ending at #1584 and #2440.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 26 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Paula and Susan averaged 34.6 places apart, ending at #93 and #86.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Paula and Susan were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1584 and #2440.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Paula #549 in 1996, Susan #397 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls56 shared years, 1964–2023

    Paula held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Susan in 45.

    Highest recorded here: Paula #15 in 1979, Susan #14 in 1968.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Paula #727, Susan #856.

  • Norway · Girls51 shared years, 1946–2003

    Paula held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Susan in 31.

    Highest recorded here: Paula #249 in 1956, Susan #172 in 1961.

    The order changed in 1992: Paula moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #345 and #332; by 1992 that had become #417 and #523.

    Most recent shared year, 2003: Paula #285, Susan #570.

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

    Paula held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Susan in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Paula #549 in 1996, Susan #397 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2024: Paula moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #2504 and #2504; by 2024 that had become #1491 and #2253.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Paula #1584, Susan #2440.

  • New Zealand · Girls26 shared years, 1954–1984

    Paula held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Susan in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Paula #15 in 1970, Susan #1 in 1955.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1984: Paula #93, Susan #86.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls18 shared years, 1952–1976

    Paula held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Susan in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Paula #62 in 1971, Susan #1 in 1954.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1976: Paula #98, Susan #36.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 1997–2017

    Paula held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Susan in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Paula #172 in 1997, Susan #187 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2017: Paula #432, Susan #432.

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 Paula

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

Other comparisons involving Susan

Pairs where Susan 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 Paula, Susan
FieldPaulaSusan
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Pronunciation
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #521 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #2440 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Paula and Susan both have 2 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Paula

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #264 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 recorded1954–1984

    Highest recorded position: #15 among girls in New Zealand, in 1970 (recorded 1954–1984).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1584 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Susan

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #239 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 recorded1952–1985

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1954 (recorded 1952–1985).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2440 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls