Claire vs Emily
Claire and Emilycompared 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 Emily #2 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Claire was ranked #407 and Emily #5 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Claire was ranked #352 and Emily #6 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Claire was ranked #638 and Emily #7 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2022, Claire was ranked #86 and Emily #33 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Claire was ranked #1021 and Emily #34 among girls in England and Wales.
Claire and Emily over time
Claire and Emily appear together in 5 published lists, across 180 years of shared records. Emily held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Claire in 2.
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 5 of those lists, and Emily 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, Emily moved ahead of Claire in New Zealand · Girls — #33 and #36 the year before became #50 and #45.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 46 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Claire and Emily averaged 45.3 places apart, ending at #86 and #33.
- Mirrored each other
Over 20 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Emily rose about as far as Claire fell — from #48 and #94 in 1975 to #96 and #2 in 2013.
- Longest-running competitions
Claire and Emily were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 46 years, from 1977 to 2022, ending at #86 and #33.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1997 they stood at #28 and #32 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 4 places apart; by 2024 they were #407 and #5.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Claire held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Emily in 29.
Highest recorded here: Claire #10 in 1984, Emily #1 in 2011.
The order changed in 1997: Emily moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #28 and #31; by 1997 that had become #28 and #27.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Claire #352, Emily #6.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls46 shared years, 1977–2022
Claire held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Emily in 45.
Highest recorded here: Claire #40 in 1990, Emily #1 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Claire #86, Emily #33.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Claire held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emily in 29.
Highest recorded here: Claire #90 in 1996, Emily #1 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Claire #1021, Emily #34.
Northern Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 1997–2024
Claire held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Emily in 22.
Highest recorded here: Claire #26 in 1998, Emily #1 in 2013.
The order changed in 1998: Emily moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #28 and #32; by 1998 that had become #26 and #25.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Claire #407, Emily #5.
New Zealand · Girls20 shared years, 1975–2013
Claire held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Emily in 8.
Highest recorded here: Claire #23 in 1980, Emily #2 in 2013.
The order changed in 1988: Emily moved ahead. In 1987 they stood at #33 and #36; by 1988 that had become #50 and #45.
Most recent shared year, 2013: Claire #96, Emily #2.
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 | Emily |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The French form of Clara, from Latin 'clarus' meaning 'clear, bright'. | Rival, striving, eager (traditional interpretation of the Latin root). |
| Origin | Latin, via French transmission | Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia |
| Pronunciation | /klɛʁ/ | /ˈɛməli/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Clara | Em, Emmy, Emilie, Amelia, Aemilia |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #6 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | high |
What the data shows
- Claire is recorded with a Latin, via French transmission origin, while Emily is recorded with a Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia origin.
- Claire has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Emily.
- Claire's recorded meaning differs from Emily's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
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
Emily
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #180 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 recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2003 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #61 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls