Namewise

Caroline vs Sinead

Caroline and Sineadcompared 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 2015, Caroline was ranked #358 and Sinead #269 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2022, Caroline was ranked #458 and Sinead #905 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Caroline was ranked #1271 and Sinead #3333 among girls in England and Wales.

Caroline and Sinead over time

Caroline and Sinead appear together in 3 published lists, across 102 years of shared records. Sinead held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Caroline 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

    Caroline and Sinead changed places 6 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2022, ending at #458 and #905.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Caroline and Sinead were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1271 and #3333.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Caroline #112 in 1998, Sinead #54 in 1998.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls58 shared years, 19642022

    Caroline held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Sinead in 44.

    Highest recorded here: Caroline #3 in 1979, Sinead #2 in 1975.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Caroline #458, Sinead #905.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 19962025

    Caroline held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Sinead in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Caroline #182 in 1996, Sinead #154 in 2003.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Caroline #1271, Sinead #3333.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls14 shared years, 19972015

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

    Highest recorded here: Caroline #112 in 1998, Sinead #54 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2015: Caroline #358, Sinead #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.

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Caroline, Sinead
FieldCarolineSinead
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedIrish form of Jeannette/Janet; the underlying chain traces to the Hebrew name Yochanan, commonly interpreted as 'God is gracious'.
OriginNot yet recordedIrish, via Anglo-Norman French Jeannette
Pronunciation/ˈʃɪnʲeːdˠ/
Syllables42
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #381 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #3333 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)76/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Sinead has a recorded origin (Irish, via Anglo-Norman French Jeannette); Caroline does not have one recorded yet.
  • Caroline has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Sinead.
  • A meaning is recorded for Sinead; Caroline doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, 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 #1271 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Sinead

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 recorded1964–2022

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1975 (recorded 1964–2022).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #3333 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls