Namewise

Aimee vs Niamh

Aimee and Niamhcompared 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.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Aimee was ranked #179 and Niamh #47 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2000, Aimee was ranked #58 and Niamh #94 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Aimee was ranked #541 and Niamh #76 among girls in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Aimee was ranked #885 and Niamh #90 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Aimee was ranked #1603 and Niamh #193 among girls in England and Wales.

Aimee and Niamh over time

Aimee and Niamh appear together in 3 published lists, across 106 years of shared records. Niamh held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Aimee 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.

Niamh reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Aimee in 1. 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 moved ahead of the other

    In 2010, Niamh moved ahead of Aimee in England and Wales · Girls — #70 and #76 the year before became #80 and #78.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Aimee and Niamh changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #1603 and #193.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Aimee and Niamh averaged 56.6 places apart, ending at #179 and #47.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Aimee and Niamh were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 49 years, from 1977 to 2025, ending at #885 and #90.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Aimee #9 in 2004, Niamh #5 in 2005.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls49 shared years, 1977–2025

    Aimee held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Niamh in 49.

    Highest recorded here: Aimee #46 in 2005, Niamh #2 in 1993.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Aimee #885, Niamh #90.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Aimee held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Niamh in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Aimee #47 in 2004, Niamh #40 in 2000.

    The order changed in 2010: Niamh moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #70 and #76; by 2010 that had become #80 and #78.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Aimee #1603, Niamh #193.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Aimee held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Niamh in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Aimee #9 in 2004, Niamh #5 in 2005.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Aimee #179, Niamh #47.

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 Aimee

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

Other comparisons involving Niamh

Pairs where Niamh 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 — moved together in several countries.

  • Christopher vs Paul

    Christopher and Paul both fell over the same years in 6 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Norway · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Christopher · Paul · 80 shared years, 1946–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Oliver vs Leo

    Oliver and Leo both rose over the same years in 6 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Norway · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Oliver · Leo · 63 shared years, 1959–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Leo vs Oscar

    Leo and Oscar both rose over the same years in 6 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Norway · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Leo · Oscar · 57 shared years, 1951–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Oliver vs Luca

    Oliver and Luca both rose over the same years in 6 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Norway · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Oliver · Luca · 43 shared years, 1973–2025 · Moved together in several countries

All moved together in several countries→

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 Aimee, Niamh
FieldAimeeNiamh
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningA variant of Amy, influenced by the French Aimée, carrying associations of love ('beloved').Traditionally interpreted as 'bright' or 'radiant'. In Irish mythology, Niamh was daughter of the sea god Manannán mac Lir, who fell in love with the poet Oisín.
OriginFrench, cognate with AmyIrish (mythological)
Pronunciation/ˈeɪ.mi//ˈnʲiːvˠ/
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesAmy, AiméeNeve, Níam
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #885 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #90 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighhigh

What the data shows

  • Aimee is recorded with a French, cognate with Amy origin, while Niamh is recorded with a Irish (mythological) origin.
  • Aimee has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Niamh.
  • Aimee's recorded meaning differs from Niamh's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Aimee

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1977

    First recorded at #429 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1977 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #9 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2004 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

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

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

Niamh

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #109 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1993 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #90 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls