Alannah vs Cliona
Alannah and Clionacompared 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 2023, Alannah was ranked #118 and Cliona #856 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Alannah was ranked #237 and Cliona #391 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2023, Alannah was ranked #921 and Cliona #4056 among girls in England and Wales.
Alannah and Cliona over time
Alannah and Cliona appear together in 3 published lists, across 81 years of shared records. Alannah held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Cliona 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.
Cliona reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Alannah 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 1997, Alannah moved ahead of Cliona in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #124 and #92 the year before became #85 and #94.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Alannah and Cliona changed places 12 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2023, ending at #237 and #391.
- Longest-running competitions
Alannah and Cliona were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 38 years, from 1983 to 2023, ending at #118 and #856.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls38 shared years, 1983–2023
Alannah held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Cliona in 13.
Highest recorded here: Alannah #49 in 2003, Cliona #83 in 1998.
The order changed in 1997: Alannah moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #124 and #92; by 1997 that had become #85 and #94.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Alannah #118, Cliona #856.
Northern Ireland · Girls25 shared years, 1997–2023
Alannah held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Cliona in 4.
Highest recorded here: Alannah #131 in 2008, Cliona #106 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Alannah #237, Cliona #391.
England and Wales · Girls18 shared years, 1996–2023
Alannah held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Cliona in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alannah #357 in 1997, Cliona #1372 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Alannah #921, Cliona #4056.
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 | Alannah | Cliona |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #103 (2025) | Northern Ireland · Girls #391 (2023) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Alannah has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Cliona.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Alannah
Popularity journey
First recorded1983
First recorded at #529 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1983 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1983–2025
Highest recorded position: #49 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2003 (recorded 1983–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #103 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Cliona
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #226 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 recorded1964–2023
Highest recorded position: #83 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1998 (recorded 1964–2023).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2023
Most recently recorded at #4056 among girls in England and Wales, in 2023.
England and Wales · Girls