Ciara vs Mary
Ciara and Marycompared 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, Ciara was ranked #106 and Mary #112 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ciara was ranked #127 and Mary #134 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ciara was ranked #215 and Mary #315 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ciara was ranked #722 and Mary #337 among girls in England and Wales.
Ciara and Mary over time
Ciara and Mary appear together in 3 published lists, across 119 years of shared records. Ciara held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Mary 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.
Mary 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 1988, Ciara moved ahead of Mary in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #6 and #4 the year before became #5 and #7.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ciara and Mary changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #722 and #337.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Ciara and Mary averaged 45.2 places apart, ending at #127 and #134.
- Longest-running competitions
Ciara and Mary were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #106 and #112.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Ciara #124 in 1998, Mary #118 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Ciara held the stronger position in 38 of those years, Mary in 23.
Highest recorded here: Ciara #2 in 1998, Mary #1 in 1964.
The order changed in 1988: Ciara moved ahead. In 1987 they stood at #6 and #4; by 1988 that had become #5 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ciara #106, Mary #112.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ciara held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Mary in 21.
Highest recorded here: Ciara #124 in 1998, Mary #118 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ciara #722, Mary #337.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Ciara held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Mary in 3.
Highest recorded here: Ciara #18 in 1997, Mary #53 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ciara #127, Mary #134.
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 | Ciara | Mary |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Feminine form of Ciar; traditionally interpreted as 'dark' or 'black', historically describing hair or complexion. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Irish | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɪərə/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #106 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #112 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ciara has a recorded origin (Irish); Mary does not have one recorded yet.
- Ciara and Mary both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Ciara; Mary doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Ciara
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1998 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #106 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Mary
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #67 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #518 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls