Namewise

Carmel vs Paula

Carmel and Paulacompared 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.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1955, Carmel was ranked #88 and Paula #96 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 1997, Carmel was ranked #358 and Paula #172 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2015, Carmel was ranked #896 and Paula #660 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Carmel was ranked #3318 and Paula #1491 among girls in England and Wales.

Carmel and Paula over time

Carmel and Paula appear together in 2 published lists, across 74 years of shared records. Paula held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Carmel in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.

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

    Carmel and Paula changed places 6 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2015, ending at #896 and #660.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Carmel and Paula were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 46 years, from 1964 to 2015, ending at #896 and #660.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Carmel #955 in 1998, Paula #549 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1964 they stood at #21 and #20 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2015 they were #896 and #660.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls46 shared years, 1964–2015

    Carmel held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Paula in 39.

    Highest recorded here: Carmel #21 in 1964, Paula #15 in 1979.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2015: Carmel #896, Paula #660.

  • England and Wales · Girls28 shared years, 1996–2024

    Carmel held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Paula in 27.

    Highest recorded here: Carmel #955 in 1998, Paula #549 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Carmel #3318, Paula #1491.

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 Carmel

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

Other comparisons involving Paula

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

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Carmel, Paula
FieldCarmelPaula
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IEAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Girls #3318 (2024)Norway · Girls #521 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Carmel and Paula both have 2 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.

How each name got here

Carmel

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #85 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2015

    Highest recorded position: #21 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2015).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #3318 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Girls

Paula

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #264 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 recorded1954–1984

    Highest recorded position: #15 among girls in New Zealand, in 1970 (recorded 1954–1984).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #521 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls