Namewise

Agatha vs Harper

Agatha and Harpercompared 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 2024, Agatha was ranked #837 and Harper #22 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Agatha was ranked #885 and Harper #54 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Agatha and Harper over time

Agatha and Harper appear together in 2 published lists, across 32 years of shared records. Harper held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Agatha 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.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 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.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Girls23 shared years, 20012024

    Agatha held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Harper in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Agatha #584 in 2019, Harper #22 in 2023.

    The order changed in 2012: Harper moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #789 and #858; by 2012 that had become #975 and #284.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Agatha #837, Harper #22.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls9 shared years, 20122025

    Agatha held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Harper in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Agatha #631 in 2024, Harper #53 in 2018.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Agatha #885, Harper #54.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Agatha, Harper
FieldAgathaHarper
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedAn English occupational surname for someone who played or made harps, from Old English 'hearpe'. Popularized as a given name partly through author Harper Lee, who wrote To Kill a Mockingbird.
OriginNot yet recordedEnglish (occupational surname)
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈhɑɹ.pəɹ/
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, IEAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #885 (2025)New South Wales, Australia · Girls #15 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)60/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Harper has a recorded origin (English (occupational surname)); Agatha does not have one recorded yet.
  • Agatha has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Harper.
  • A meaning is recorded for Harper; Agatha doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.

How each name got here

Agatha

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1965

    First recorded at #385 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1965–2025

    Highest recorded position: #380 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1966 (recorded 1965–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

Harper

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1999

    First recorded at #2425 among boys in England and Wales in 1999 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    England and Wales · Boys

  2. Highest recorded2012–2023

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New Zealand, in 2017 (recorded 2012–2023).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #15 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls