Ailish vs Harper

Ailish 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.

Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ailish was ranked #315 and Harper #21 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ailish was ranked #3015 and Harper #22 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ailish was ranked #483 and Harper #54 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2013, Ailish was ranked #370 and Harper #178 among girls in Northern Ireland.

Ailish and Harper over time

Ailish and Harper appear together in 2 published lists, across 37 years of shared records. Harper held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Ailish in 0.

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.

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, 2001–2024
Ailish held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Harper in 18.
Highest recorded here: Ailish #918 in 2001, Harper #22 in 2023.
The order changed in 2007: Harper moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #1983 and #2137; by 2007 that had become #3667 and #1573.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ailish #3015, Harper #22.
Republic of Ireland · Girls14 shared years, 2009–2025
Ailish held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Harper in 13.
Highest recorded here: Ailish #357 in 2022, Harper #53 in 2018.
The order changed in 2012: Harper moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #358 and #893; by 2012 that had become #560 and #398.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ailish #483, 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.

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 Harper

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

Harper vs Aurora
Harper and Aurora both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; New Zealand · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Harper · Aurora · 24 shared years, 2001–2025 · Moved together in several countries
Harper vs Daisy
Harper and Daisy both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; New South Wales, Australia · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Harper · Daisy · 24 shared years, 2001–2025 · Moved together in several countries
Harper vs Elsie
Harper and Elsie both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; New South Wales, Australia · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Harper · Elsie · 24 shared years, 2001–2025 · Moved together in several countries
Harper vs Poppy
Harper and Poppy both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; New South Wales, Australia · Girls; New Zealand · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Harper · Poppy · 24 shared years, 2001–2025 · Moved together in several countries

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Ailish, Harper
Field	Ailish	Harper
Record type	Official statistical record (evidence-only)	Editorially researched profile
Gender usage	female	female
Meaning	Not yet recorded	An 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.
Origin	Not yet recorded	English (occupational surname)
Pronunciation	Not yet recorded	/ˈhɑɹ.pəɹ/
Syllables	2	2
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Girls #483 (2025)	New South Wales, Australia · Girls #15 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	88/100	88/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Harper has a recorded origin (English (occupational surname)); Ailish does not have one recorded yet.
Ailish and Harper both have 2 syllables.
A meaning is recorded for Harper; Ailish doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.

How each name got here

Ailish

Popularity journey

First recorded1964
First recorded at #327 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 recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #138 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1990 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #483 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls

Harper

Popularity journey

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
Highest recorded2012–2023
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New Zealand, in 2017 (recorded 2012–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #15 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls