Namewise

Caoimhe vs Laura

Caoimhe and Lauracompared 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 2025, Caoimhe was ranked #31 and Laura #112 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Caoimhe was ranked #70 and Laura #253 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Caoimhe was ranked #275 and Laura #351 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Caoimhe was ranked #1110 and Laura #303 among girls in England and Wales.

Caoimhe and Laura over time

Caoimhe and Laura appear together in 3 published lists, across 115 years of shared records. Laura held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Caoimhe 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.

Laura reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Caoimhe 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 took the other's place near the top

    In Northern Ireland · Girls, Caoimhe moved into the top 50 at #25 in 2003 as Laura fell out of it to #51, having been #26 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2003, Caoimhe moved ahead of Laura in Northern Ireland · Girls — #29 and #26 the year before became #25 and #51.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Caoimhe and Laura were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1110 and #303.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls57 shared years, 1966–2025

    Caoimhe held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Laura in 34.

    Highest recorded here: Caoimhe #12 in 2003, Laura #2 in 1985.

    The order changed in 2003: Caoimhe moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #20 and #16; by 2003 that had become #12 and #21.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Caoimhe #31, Laura #112.

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

    Caoimhe held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Laura in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Caoimhe #639 in 2013, Laura #17 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Caoimhe #1110, Laura #303.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Caoimhe held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Laura in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Caoimhe #25 in 2003, Laura #13 in 1997.

    The order changed in 2003: Caoimhe moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #29 and #26; by 2003 that had become #25 and #51.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Caoimhe #70, Laura #253.

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 Caoimhe

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

Other comparisons involving Laura

Pairs where Laura 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 took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Northern 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.

Northern 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 Caoimhe, Laura
FieldCaoimheLaura
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'dear', 'beloved', or 'gentle', from the Irish word caomh.From Latin 'laurus' meaning 'laurel' — laurel wreaths honoured victors in ancient Rome. Also the subject of 14th-century Italian poet Petrarch's poems.
OriginIrishLatin
Pronunciation/ˈkiːvʲə//ˈlɔɹ.ə/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IEAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #31 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #112 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Caoimhe is recorded with a Irish origin, while Laura is recorded with a Latin origin.
  • Caoimhe and Laura both have 2 syllables.
  • Caoimhe's recorded meaning differs from Laura's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.

How each name got here

Caoimhe

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1966

    First recorded at #380 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1966–2025

    Highest recorded position: #12 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2003 (recorded 1966–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1110 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Laura

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #313 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1985 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #303 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls