Aoife vs Mary
Aoife and Marycompared 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, Aoife was ranked #4 and Mary #134 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Aoife was ranked #34 and Mary #112 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Aoife was ranked #87 and Mary #315 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Aoife was ranked #192 and Mary #329 among girls in England and Wales.
Aoife and Mary over time
Aoife and Mary appear together in 3 published lists, across 120 years of shared records. Aoife held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Mary in 1.
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.
Mary reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Aoife 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1990, Aoife moved ahead of Mary in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #10 and #8 the year before became #7 and #11.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Aoife and Mary averaged 55.5 places apart, ending at #34 and #112.
- Longest-running competitions
Aoife and Mary were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #192 and #329.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Aoife held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Mary in 26.
Highest recorded here: Aoife #1 in 2000, Mary #1 in 1964.
The order changed in 1990: Aoife moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #10 and #8; by 1990 that had become #7 and #11.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Aoife #34, Mary #112.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Aoife held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Mary in 16.
Highest recorded here: Aoife #167 in 2015, Mary #118 in 1997.
The order changed in 2012: Aoife moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #297 and #250; by 2012 that had become #205 and #241.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Aoife #192, Mary #329.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Aoife held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Mary in 0.
Highest recorded here: Aoife #4 in 2024, Mary #53 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Aoife #4, Mary #134.
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 | Aoife | Mary |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #34 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #112 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Aoife and Mary both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Aoife
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #206 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: #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2000 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #192 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Mary
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #67 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #329 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls