Claire vs Elizabeth
Claire and Elizabethcompared 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 2013, Claire was ranked #96 and Elizabeth #38 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Claire was ranked #1362 and Elizabeth #74 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Claire was ranked #352 and Elizabeth #76 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2022, Claire was ranked #86 and Elizabeth #80 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Claire was ranked #407 and Elizabeth #87 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Claire was ranked #638 and Elizabeth #113 among girls in Scotland.
Claire and Elizabeth over time
Claire and Elizabeth appear together in 5 published lists, across 196 years of shared records. Elizabeth held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Claire 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.
Elizabeth reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Claire 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 2004, Elizabeth moved ahead of Claire in Northern Ireland · Girls — #89 and #114 the year before became #97 and #82.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 47 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Claire and Elizabeth averaged 29.6 places apart, ending at #86 and #80.
- Longest-running competitions
Claire and Elizabeth were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1362 and #74.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Claire #90 in 1996, Elizabeth #26 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Claire held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Elizabeth in 39.
Highest recorded here: Claire #10 in 1984, Elizabeth #5 in 1969.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Claire #352, Elizabeth #76.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls47 shared years, 1976–2022
Claire held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Elizabeth in 46.
Highest recorded here: Claire #40 in 1990, Elizabeth #15 in 1986.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Claire #86, Elizabeth #80.
New Zealand · Girls34 shared years, 1954–2013
Claire held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Elizabeth in 34.
Highest recorded here: Claire #23 in 1980, Elizabeth #7 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2013: Claire #96, Elizabeth #38.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Claire held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Elizabeth in 30.
Highest recorded here: Claire #90 in 1996, Elizabeth #26 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Claire #1362, Elizabeth #74.
Northern Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 1997–2024
Claire held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Elizabeth in 16.
Highest recorded here: Claire #26 in 1998, Elizabeth #55 in 1997.
The order changed in 2004: Elizabeth moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #89 and #114; by 2004 that had become #97 and #82.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Claire #407, Elizabeth #87.
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 | Elizabeth |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The French form of Clara, from Latin 'clarus' meaning 'clear, bright'. | From the Greek Elisabet, from Hebrew Elisheva, combining 'el' (God) with 'shava' ('oath') — 'my God is an oath'. Appears in the Old Testament as Elisheba, Aaron's wife, and in the New Testament as the mother of John the Baptist. |
| Origin | Latin, via French transmission | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /klɛʁ/ | /ɪ.ˈlɪz.ə.bəθ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 4 |
| 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, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #74 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 65/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 70/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Claire is recorded with a Latin, via French transmission origin, while Elizabeth is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Claire has 2 syllables, compared with 4 for Elizabeth.
- Claire's recorded meaning differs from Elizabeth's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Claire a "high" Data Confidence level and Elizabeth 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
Elizabeth
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #341 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: #5 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1969 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #74 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls