Robyn vs Wendy
Robyn 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.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2022, Robyn was ranked #28 and Wendy #502 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Robyn was ranked #48 and Wendy #541 among girls in Scotland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1975, Robyn was ranked #80 and Wendy #59 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1974, Robyn was ranked #85 and Wendy #66 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 1998, Robyn was ranked #67 and Wendy #351 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Robyn was ranked #78 and Wendy #2771 among girls in England and Wales.
Robyn and Wendy over time
Robyn and Wendy appear together in 4 published lists, across 103 years of shared records. Robyn held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Wendy 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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 2 of the lists they share.
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 1966, Wendy moved ahead of Robyn in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #20 and #21 the year before became #24 and #22.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Robyn and Wendy changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1954 and 1975, ending at #80 and #59.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Robyn and Wendy averaged 8.0 places apart, ending at #85 and #66.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Robyn #8 in 1956, Wendy #8 in 1958.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Robyn held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Wendy in 0.
Highest recorded here: Robyn #64 in 2023, Wendy #820 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Robyn #78, Wendy #2771.
Republic of Ireland · Girls29 shared years, 1982–2022
Robyn held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Wendy in 5.
Highest recorded here: Robyn #24 in 2018, Wendy #147 in 1982.
The order changed in 1988: Robyn moved ahead. In 1987 they stood at #329 and #272; by 1988 that had become #237 and #252.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Robyn #28, Wendy #502.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls23 shared years, 1952–1974
Robyn held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Wendy in 10.
Highest recorded here: Robyn #6 in 1953, Wendy #10 in 1958.
The order changed in 1966: Wendy moved ahead. In 1965 they stood at #20 and #21; by 1966 that had become #24 and #22.
Most recent shared year, 1974: Robyn #85, Wendy #66.
New Zealand · Girls22 shared years, 1954–1975
Robyn held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Wendy in 16.
Highest recorded here: Robyn #8 in 1956, Wendy #8 in 1958.
The order changed in 1963: Wendy moved ahead. In 1962 they stood at #10 and #11; by 1963 that had become #15 and #10.
Most recent shared year, 1975: Robyn #80, Wendy #59.
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.
Side by side
| Field | Robyn | Wendy |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A feminine variant of Robin, itself a diminutive of Robert. | Popularized 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. |
| Origin | Germanic, feminine diminutive form | Literary invention (English), with a possible Welsh connection |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɹɑb.ɪn/ | /ˈwɛn.di/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #19 (2025) | Scotland · Girls #541 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Robyn is recorded with a Germanic, feminine diminutive form origin, while Wendy is recorded with a Literary invention (English), with a possible Welsh connection origin.
- Robyn and Wendy both have 2 syllables.
- Robyn's recorded meaning differs from Wendy's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Robyn
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #7 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
Highest recorded1952–1974
Highest recorded position: #6 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1953 (recorded 1952–1974).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #19 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Wendy
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1954–1981
Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New Zealand, in 1958 (recorded 1954–1981).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2771 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls