Namewise

Cheryl vs Maebh

Cheryl and Maebhcompared 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 2017, Cheryl was ranked #873 and Maebh #205 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2023, Cheryl was ranked #5687 and Maebh #4056 among girls in England and Wales.

Cheryl and Maebh over time

Cheryl and Maebh appear together in 2 published lists, across 39 years of shared records. Cheryl held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Maebh in 0.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Cheryl reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Maebh 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.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 19792017

    Cheryl held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Maebh in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Cheryl #179 in 1989, Maebh #205 in 2017.

    The order changed in 1995: Maebh moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #255 and #374; by 1995 that had become #451 and #417.

    Most recent shared year, 2017: Cheryl #873, Maebh #205.

  • England and Wales · Girls17 shared years, 20042023

    Cheryl held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Maebh in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Cheryl #865 in 2009, Maebh #2659 in 2014.

    The order changed in 2020: Maebh moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #2286 and #3541; by 2020 that had become #5493 and #5493.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Cheryl #5687, Maebh #4056.

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 Cheryl, Maebh
FieldCherylMaebh
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Girls #5891 (2024)Republic of Ireland · Girls #483 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Cheryl has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Maebh.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.

How each name got here

Cheryl

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #11 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1952–1972

    Highest recorded position: #11 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1972).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #5891 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Girls

Maebh

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1979

    First recorded at #420 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1979 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1979–2025

    Highest recorded position: #201 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2009 (recorded 1979–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #483 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls