Charlie vs Niamh
Charlie 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, Charlie was ranked #407 and Niamh #47 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Charlie was ranked #315 and Niamh #76 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Charlie was ranked #352 and Niamh #90 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Charlie was ranked #747 and Niamh #208 among girls in England and Wales.
Charlie and Niamh over time
Charlie and Niamh appear together in 3 published lists, across 81 years of shared records. Niamh held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Charlie in 0.
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.
Niamh reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Charlie 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1997, Niamh moved ahead of Charlie in England and Wales · Girls — #113 and #120 the year before became #102 and #86.
- Longest-running competitions
Charlie and Niamh were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #747 and #208.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Charlie #88 in 1999, Niamh #40 in 2000.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #113 and #120 in England and Wales · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2025 they were #747 and #208.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Charlie held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Niamh in 29.
Highest recorded here: Charlie #88 in 1999, Niamh #40 in 2000.
The order changed in 1997: Niamh moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #113 and #120; by 1997 that had become #102 and #86.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charlie #747, Niamh #208.
Republic of Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1999–2025
Charlie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Niamh in 27.
Highest recorded here: Charlie #184 in 2014, Niamh #5 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charlie #352, Niamh #90.
Northern Ireland · Girls24 shared years, 1997–2024
Charlie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Niamh in 24.
Highest recorded here: Charlie #101 in 2006, Niamh #5 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Charlie #407, 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.
Side by side
| Field | Charlie | Niamh |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | female |
| Meaning | A diminutive of Charles, ultimately interpreted as 'man' or, by an alternative theory, 'army'. | 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. |
| Origin | English, via Germanic Karl | Irish (mythological) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈtʃɑːli/ | /ˈnʲiːvˠ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Neve, Níam |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #12 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #90 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Charlie is recorded with a English, via Germanic Karl origin, while Niamh is recorded with a Irish (mythological) origin.
- Charlie has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Niamh.
- Charlie'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, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Charlie a "medium" Data Confidence level and Niamh a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Charlie
Popularity journey
First recorded1983
First recorded at #282 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1983 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2013 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #747 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Niamh
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1993 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #208 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls