Namewise

Ciara vs Kerry

Ciara and Kerrycompared 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 2020, Ciara was ranked #48 and Kerry #834 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2020, Ciara was ranked #114 and Kerry #397 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Ciara was ranked #722 and Kerry #4843 among girls in England and Wales.

Ciara and Kerry over time

Ciara and Kerry appear together in 3 published lists, across 89 years of shared records. Ciara held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Kerry 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.

Ciara reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Kerry 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, Ciara moved ahead of Kerry in England and Wales · Girls — #158 and #136 the year before became #136 and #157.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Ciara and Kerry were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 46 years, from 1968 to 2020, ending at #48 and #834.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Ciara #124 in 1998, Kerry #136 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls46 shared years, 19682020

    Ciara held the stronger position in 46 of those years, Kerry in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Ciara #2 in 1998, Kerry #149 in 2004.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2020: Ciara #48, Kerry #834.

  • England and Wales · Girls25 shared years, 19962024

    Ciara held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Kerry in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Ciara #124 in 1998, Kerry #136 in 1996.

    The order changed in 1997: Ciara moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #158 and #136; by 1997 that had become #136 and #157.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Ciara #722, Kerry #4843.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls18 shared years, 19972020

    Ciara held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Kerry in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Ciara #18 in 1997, Kerry #82 in 2002.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2020: Ciara #114, Kerry #397.

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 Ciara, Kerry
FieldCiaraKerry
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemaleUsed for both boys and girls
MeaningFeminine form of Ciar; traditionally interpreted as 'dark' or 'black', historically describing hair or complexion.Not yet recorded
OriginIrishNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈkɪərə/Not yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IEAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #106 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #4843 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

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

How each name got here

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 #106 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

Kerry

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #23 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 recorded1952–1976

    Highest recorded position: #11 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1956 (recorded 1952–1976).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #4843 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Girls