Claire vs Ella
Claire and Ellacompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2022, Claire was ranked #86 and Ella #7 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Claire was ranked #638 and Ella #9 among girls in Scotland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2013, Claire was ranked #96 and Ella #10 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Claire was ranked #407 and Ella #12 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Claire was ranked #352 and Ella #17 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Claire was ranked #1021 and Ella #39 among girls in England and Wales.
Claire and Ella over time
Claire and Ella appear together in 4 published lists, across 123 years of shared records. Ella held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Claire in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 3 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 3 of those lists, and Ella 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 took the other's place near the top
In Northern Ireland · Girls, Ella moved into the top 50 at #45 in 2002 as Claire fell out of it to #58, having been #48 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1999, Ella moved ahead of Claire in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #52 and #85 the year before became #56 and #52.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 25 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Claire and Ella averaged 49.2 places apart, ending at #86 and #7.
- Mirrored each other
Over 25 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Ella rose about as far as Claire fell — from #52 and #85 in 1998 to #86 and #7 in 2022.
- Longest-running competitions
Claire and Ella were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 46 years, from 1970 to 2025, ending at #352 and #17.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Claire #40 in 2007, Ella #2 in 2007.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls46 shared years, 1970–2025
Claire held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Ella in 24.
Highest recorded here: Claire #10 in 1984, Ella #3 in 2007.
The order changed in 2002: Ella moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #44 and #48; by 2002 that had become #54 and #28.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Claire #352, Ella #17.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Claire held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Ella in 29.
Highest recorded here: Claire #90 in 1996, Ella #6 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Claire #1021, Ella #39.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls25 shared years, 1998–2022
Claire held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Ella in 24.
Highest recorded here: Claire #40 in 2007, Ella #2 in 2007.
The order changed in 1999: Ella moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #52 and #85; by 1999 that had become #56 and #52.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Claire #86, Ella #7.
Northern Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 1997–2024
Claire held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Ella in 18.
Highest recorded here: Claire #26 in 1998, Ella #2 in 2015.
The order changed in 2002: Ella moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #48 and #82; by 2002 that had become #58 and #45.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Claire #407, Ella #12.
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 | Ella |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The French form of Clara, from Latin 'clarus' meaning 'clear, bright'. | A diminutive of Eleanor, Ellen and other names beginning with 'El-', also used as a short form of names ending in '-ella'. Widely used across Scandinavian and Germanic languages as well as English. |
| Origin | Latin, via French transmission | Germanic, diminutive form |
| Pronunciation | /klɛʁ/ | /ˈɛl.ə/ |
| 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, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025) | Norway · Girls #4 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| 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 Ella is recorded with a Germanic, diminutive form origin.
- Claire and Ella both have 2 syllables.
- Claire's recorded meaning differs from Ella'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 Ella 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 #352 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Ella
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #137 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1993–2023
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 2007 (recorded 1993–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #11 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls