Namewise

Charlotte vs Ruby

Charlotte and Rubycompared 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 2025, Charlotte was ranked #1 and Ruby #28 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2023, Charlotte was ranked #1 and Ruby #17 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Charlotte was ranked #6 and Ruby #38 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Charlotte was ranked #10 and Ruby #34 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Charlotte was ranked #23 and Ruby #41 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Charlotte was ranked #43 and Ruby #36 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Charlotte was ranked #162 and Ruby #450 among girls in Norway.

Charlotte and Ruby over time

Charlotte and Ruby appear together in 5 published lists, across 151 years of shared records. Charlotte held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Ruby 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.

Ruby reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Charlotte in 2. 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 2005, Ruby moved ahead of Charlotte in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #76 and #110 the year before became #67 and #58.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Charlotte and Ruby averaged 29.6 places apart, ending at #23 and #41.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Charlotte and Ruby were both ranked in New Zealand · Girls for 32 years, from 1992 to 2023, ending at #1 and #17.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Charlotte #1 in 2012, Ruby #2 in 2011.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls34 shared years, 19912025

    Charlotte held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Ruby in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Charlotte #39 in 2018, Ruby #16 in 2013.

    The order changed in 2005: Ruby moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #76 and #110; by 2005 that had become #67 and #58.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Charlotte #43, Ruby #36.

  • New Zealand · Girls32 shared years, 19922023

    Charlotte held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Ruby in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Charlotte #1 in 2006, Ruby #1 in 2011.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Charlotte #1, Ruby #17.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 19962024

    Charlotte held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Ruby in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Charlotte #5 in 2000, Ruby #1 in 2007.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Charlotte #23, Ruby #41.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls29 shared years, 19972025

    Charlotte held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Ruby in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Charlotte #1 in 2012, Ruby #2 in 2011.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Charlotte #1, Ruby #28.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 19982024

    Charlotte held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Ruby in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Charlotte #6 in 2024, Ruby #18 in 2011.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Charlotte #6, Ruby #38.

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 Charlotte, Ruby
FieldCharlotteRuby
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningFree man (feminine form of Charles).Taken from the gemstone name; the ruby is the traditional July birthstone. As a given name it came into use in the 16th century.
OriginFrench, feminine of CharlesEnglish, ultimately from Latin rubeus ('red')
Pronunciation/ˈʃɑɹlət//ˈruːbi/
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesLottie, Charlie, CarlottaNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNew South Wales, Australia · Girls #1 (2025)New South Wales, Australia · Girls #28 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)65/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)70/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Charlotte is recorded with a French, feminine of Charles origin, while Ruby is recorded with a English, ultimately from Latin rubeus ('red') origin.
  • Charlotte has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Ruby.
  • Charlotte's recorded meaning differs from Ruby's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Charlotte a "high" Data Confidence level and Ruby a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Charlotte

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #345 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1989–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2012 (recorded 1989–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

Ruby

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1991

    First recorded at #515 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1991 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2007 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #28 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls