Namewise

Caroline vs Samantha

Caroline and Samanthacompared 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 1981, Caroline was ranked #84 and Samantha #28 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1985, Caroline was ranked #85 and Samantha #29 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2015, Caroline was ranked #358 and Samantha #269 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Caroline was ranked #381 and Samantha #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Caroline was ranked #392 and Samantha #525 among girls in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Caroline was ranked #1406 and Samantha #670 among girls in England and Wales.

Caroline and Samantha over time

Caroline and Samantha appear together in 5 published lists, across 159 years of shared records. Samantha held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Caroline in 2.

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

Caroline reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Samantha in 1. 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.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Caroline and Samantha changed places 14 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1966 and 2025, ending at #381 and #885.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Caroline and Samantha were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 42 years, from 1969 to 2025, ending at #392 and #525.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Caroline #182 in 1996, Samantha #32 in 1996.

List by list

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

    Caroline held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Samantha in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Caroline #3 in 1979, Samantha #33 in 1986.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Caroline #381, Samantha #885.

  • Norway · Girls42 shared years, 1969–2025

    Caroline held the stronger position in 42 of those years, Samantha in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Caroline #15 in 1990, Samantha #298 in 2015.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Caroline #392, Samantha #525.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Caroline held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Samantha in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Caroline #182 in 1996, Samantha #32 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Caroline #1406, Samantha #670.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls14 shared years, 1966–1981

    Caroline held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Samantha in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Caroline #65 in 1979, Samantha #15 in 1975.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1981: Caroline #84, Samantha #28.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls14 shared years, 1997–2015

    Caroline held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Samantha in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Caroline #112 in 1998, Samantha #57 in 2000.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2015: Caroline #358, Samantha #269.

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 Caroline

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

Other comparisons involving Samantha

Pairs where Samantha 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 — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

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 Caroline, Samantha
FieldCarolineSamantha
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedLikely a feminine adaptation of Samuel, incorporating a suffix possibly derived from Greek 'anthos' ('flower'). Emerged in 18th-century America; boosted to wide popularity by the 1964 television series Bewitched.
OriginNot yet recordedHebrew, feminine adaptation (uncertain suffix origin)
Pronunciation/sə.ˈmæn.θə/
Syllables43
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #381 (2025)Norway · Girls #525 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)76/10076/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Samantha has a recorded origin (Hebrew, feminine adaptation (uncertain suffix origin)); Caroline does not have one recorded yet.
  • Caroline has 4 syllables, compared with 3 for Samantha.
  • A meaning is recorded for Samantha; Caroline doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Caroline

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1957

    First recorded at #94 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1957 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1979 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #392 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls

Samantha

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1966

    First recorded at #79 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1966–2013

    Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1992 (recorded 1966–2013).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #525 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls