Namewise

Aoife vs Niamh

Aoife 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, Aoife was ranked #4 and Niamh #47 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Aoife was ranked #34 and Niamh #90 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Aoife was ranked #87 and Niamh #76 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Aoife was ranked #192 and Niamh #208 among girls in England and Wales.

Aoife and Niamh over time

Aoife and Niamh appear together in 3 published lists, across 120 years of shared records. Aoife held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Niamh in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 3 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 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 2025, Aoife moved ahead of Niamh in England and Wales · Girls — #220 and #193 the year before became #192 and #208.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Aoife and Niamh changed places 9 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2025, ending at #34 and #90.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Aoife and Niamh averaged 11.6 places apart, ending at #4 and #47.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Aoife rose about as far as Niamh fell — from #436 and #120 in 1996 to #192 and #208 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Aoife and Niamh were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #192 and #208.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Aoife held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Niamh in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Aoife #1 in 2000, Niamh #2 in 1993.

    The order changed in 1997: Aoife moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #5 and #3; by 1997 that had become #2 and #5.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Aoife #34, Niamh #90.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Aoife held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Niamh in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Aoife #167 in 2015, Niamh #40 in 2000.

    The order changed in 2025: Aoife moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #220 and #193; by 2025 that had become #192 and #208.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Aoife #192, Niamh #208.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Aoife held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Niamh in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Aoife #4 in 2024, Niamh #5 in 2005.

    The order changed in 2007: Aoife moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #14 and #12; by 2007 that had become #17 and #21.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Aoife #4, 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 Aoife

Pairs where Aoife 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 — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

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 Aoife, Niamh
FieldAoifeNiamh
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedTraditionally 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.
OriginNot yet recordedIrish (mythological)
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈnʲiːvˠ/
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNeve, Níam
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IEGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #34 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #90 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Niamh has a recorded origin (Irish (mythological)); Aoife does not have one recorded yet.
  • Aoife has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Niamh.
  • A meaning is recorded for Niamh; Aoife doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
  • The available evidence gives Aoife a "medium" Data Confidence level and Niamh a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Aoife

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2000 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #192 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · 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 #208 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls