Claire vs Courtney
Claire and Courtneycompared 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 Zealand · Girls
In 1993, Claire was ranked #85 and Courtney #14 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2004, Claire was ranked #72 and Courtney #94 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Claire was ranked #339 and Courtney #727 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2017, Claire was ranked #432 and Courtney #432 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Claire was ranked #1362 and Courtney #2278 among girls in England and Wales.
Claire and Courtney over time
Claire and Courtney appear together in 5 published lists, across 110 years of shared records. Courtney held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Claire in 1.
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.
Claire reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Courtney 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.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Claire and Courtney averaged 28.3 places apart, ending at #72 and #94.
- Longest-running competitions
Claire and Courtney were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1362 and #2278.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Claire #90 in 1996, Courtney #17 in 1998.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Claire held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Courtney in 24.
Highest recorded here: Claire #90 in 1996, Courtney #17 in 1998.
The order changed in 2021: Claire moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #1127 and #1065; by 2021 that had become #983 and #1454.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Claire #1362, Courtney #2278.
Republic of Ireland · Girls30 shared years, 1988–2023
Claire held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Courtney in 0.
Highest recorded here: Claire #12 in 1988, Courtney #43 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Claire #339, Courtney #727.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls21 shared years, 1984–2004
Claire held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Courtney in 18.
Highest recorded here: Claire #40 in 1990, Courtney #11 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Claire #72, Courtney #94.
Northern Ireland · Girls20 shared years, 1997–2017
Claire held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Courtney in 18.
Highest recorded here: Claire #26 in 1998, Courtney #12 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Claire #432, Courtney #432.
New Zealand · Girls9 shared years, 1985–1993
Claire held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Courtney in 6.
Highest recorded here: Claire #33 in 1985, Courtney #14 in 1993.
The order changed in 1988: Courtney moved ahead. In 1987 they stood at #33 and #45; by 1988 that had become #50 and #38.
Most recent shared year, 1993: Claire #85, Courtney #14.
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 | Claire | Courtney |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The French form of Clara, from Latin 'clarus' meaning 'clear, bright'. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Latin, via French transmission | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /klɛʁ/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Clara | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #2278 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Claire has a recorded origin (Latin, via French transmission); Courtney does not have one recorded yet.
- Claire and Courtney both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Claire; Courtney doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Claire a "high" Data Confidence level and Courtney a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Claire
Popularity journey
First recorded1954
First recorded at #98 among girls in New Zealand in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #10 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1984 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #1362 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Courtney
Popularity journey
First recorded1984
First recorded at #68 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1984 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1985–2006
Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New Zealand, in 1996 (recorded 1985–2006).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2278 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls