Namewise

Catherine vs Ciara

Catherine and Ciaracompared 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, Catherine was ranked #273 and Ciara #106 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Catherine was ranked #227 and Ciara #127 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Catherine was ranked #260 and Ciara #215 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Catherine was ranked #590 and Ciara #894 among girls in England and Wales.

Catherine and Ciara over time

Catherine and Ciara appear together in 3 published lists, across 120 years of shared records. Ciara held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Catherine in 1.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Catherine reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Ciara 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 1985, Ciara moved ahead of Catherine in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #7 and #13 the year before became #14 and #8.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Catherine and Ciara changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2025, ending at #590 and #894.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Catherine and Ciara averaged 25.0 places apart, ending at #227 and #127.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Catherine and Ciara were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #590 and #894.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Catherine #68 in 1996, Ciara #124 in 1998.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Catherine held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Ciara in 41.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #2 in 1964, Ciara #2 in 1998.

    The order changed in 1985: Ciara moved ahead. In 1984 they stood at #7 and #13; by 1985 that had become #14 and #8.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Catherine #273, Ciara #106.

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

    Catherine held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Ciara in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #68 in 1996, Ciara #124 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Catherine #590, Ciara #894.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Catherine held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Ciara in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #22 in 1997, Ciara #18 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Catherine #227, Ciara #127.

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 Catherine

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

Other comparisons involving Ciara

Pairs where Ciara 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 moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the 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 Catherine, Ciara
FieldCatherineCiara
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedFeminine form of Ciar; traditionally interpreted as 'dark' or 'black', historically describing hair or complexion.
OriginNot yet recordedIrish
Pronunciation/ˈkɪərə/
Syllables42
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #273 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #106 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)70/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Ciara has a recorded origin (Irish); Catherine does not have one recorded yet.
  • Catherine has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Ciara.
  • A meaning is recorded for Ciara; Catherine doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.

How each name got here

Catherine

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1947

    First recorded at #366 among girls in Norway in 1947 — 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 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #590 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Ciara

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #146 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 1998 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #894 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls