Namewise

Cara vs Niamh

Cara 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, Cara was ranked #33 and Niamh #47 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Cara was ranked #52 and Niamh #90 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Cara was ranked #196 and Niamh #76 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Cara was ranked #468 and Niamh #208 among girls in England and Wales.

Cara and Niamh over time

Cara and Niamh appear together in 3 published lists, across 118 years of shared records. Niamh held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Cara in 0.

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.

Niamh reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Cara 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 2023, Cara moved ahead of Niamh in Northern Ireland · Girls — #44 and #26 the year before became #28 and #43.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Cara and Niamh changed places 7 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2024, ending at #33 and #47.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Cara and Niamh averaged 16.0 places apart, ending at #33 and #47.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 60 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Cara rose about as far as Niamh fell — from #344 and #56 in 1966 to #52 and #90 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Cara and Niamh were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #468 and #208.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Cara #140 in 2001, Niamh #40 in 2000.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls60 shared years, 1966–2025

    Cara held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Niamh in 49.

    Highest recorded here: Cara #27 in 2023, Niamh #2 in 1993.

    The order changed in 2015: Cara moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #35 and #34; by 2015 that had become #36 and #42.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Cara #52, Niamh #90.

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

    Cara held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Niamh in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Cara #140 in 2001, Niamh #40 in 2000.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Cara #468, Niamh #208.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Cara held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Niamh in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Cara #19 in 2007, Niamh #5 in 2005.

    The order changed in 2023: Cara moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #44 and #26; by 2023 that had become #28 and #43.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Cara #33, 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 Cara

Pairs where Cara 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 — mirrored each other.

All mirrored each 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 Cara, Niamh
FieldCaraNiamh
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningGenuinely dual-sourced: an Italian word meaning 'beloved', or independently an Irish word meaning 'friend' — Behind the Name records both without resolving between them.Traditionally 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.
OriginDisputed — possibly Italian, possibly IrishIrish (mythological)
Pronunciation/ˈkɑɹ.ə//ˈnʲiːvˠ/
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesCaraghNeve, Níam
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IEGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #52 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #90 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighhigh

What the data shows

  • Cara is recorded with a Disputed — possibly Italian, possibly Irish origin, while Niamh is recorded with a Irish (mythological) origin.
  • Cara has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Niamh.
  • Cara's recorded meaning differs from Niamh'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

Cara

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1966

    First recorded at #344 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 recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2007 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #468 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