Alma vs Cathriona
Alma and Cathrionacompared 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 1999, Alma was ranked #528 and Cathriona #392 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Alma and Cathriona over time
Alma and Cathriona appear together in 1 published list, across 32 years of shared records. Cathriona held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Alma in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Alma reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Cathriona in none. 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Alma and Cathriona changed places 8 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 1999, ending at #528 and #392.
- Longest-running competitions
Alma and Cathriona were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 32 years, from 1964 to 1999, ending at #528 and #392.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls32 shared years, 1964–1999
Alma held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Cathriona in 26.
Highest recorded here: Alma #204 in 1978, Cathriona #180 in 1981.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1999: Alma #528, Cathriona #392.
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 Alma
Pairs where Alma shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Heidi vs Alma
Over 68 shared years in Norway · Girls, Alma rose about as far as Heidi fell — from #188 and #293 in 1945 to #437 and #8 in 2025.
Heidi · Alma · 68 shared years, 1945–2025 · Mirrored each other
- Alma vs Kristin
Over 68 shared years in Norway · Girls, Alma rose about as far as Kristin fell — from #293 and #130 in 1945 to #8 and #251 in 2025.
Alma · Kristin · 68 shared years, 1945–2025 · Mirrored each other
- Alma vs Solveig
Over 68 shared years in Norway · Girls, Alma rose about as far as Solveig fell — from #293 and #14 in 1945 to #8 and #28 in 2025.
Alma · Solveig · 68 shared years, 1945–2025 · Mirrored each other
- Alma vs Hanne
Over 67 shared years in Norway · Girls, Alma rose about as far as Hanne fell — from #293 and #123 in 1945 to #8 and #318 in 2025.
Alma · Hanne · 67 shared years, 1945–2025 · Mirrored each other
Side by side
| Field | Alma | Cathriona |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-SCT, IE, NO | IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #8 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #392 (1999) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 70/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 40/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Alma has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Cathriona.
- Both names have recorded usage in IE.
How each name got here
Alma
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #293 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in Norway, in 2023 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #211 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Cathriona
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #215 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 recorded1964–1999
Highest recorded position: #180 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1981 (recorded 1964–1999).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent1999
Most recently recorded at #392 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1999.
Republic of Ireland · Girls