Claire vs Jennifer
Claire and Jennifercompared 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 2003, Claire was ranked #57 and Jennifer #88 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1993, Claire was ranked #85 and Jennifer #67 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Claire was ranked #352 and Jennifer #413 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2016, Claire was ranked #440 and Jennifer #353 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Claire was ranked #638 and Jennifer #384 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Claire was ranked #1362 and Jennifer #650 among girls in England and Wales.
Claire and Jennifer over time
Claire and Jennifer appear together in 5 published lists, across 172 years of shared records. Jennifer held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Claire in 1.
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.
Jennifer 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 2001, Claire moved ahead of Jennifer in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #65 and #63 the year before became #65 and #68.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Claire and Jennifer changed places 5 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1976 and 2003, ending at #57 and #88.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Claire and Jennifer averaged 28.4 places apart, ending at #57 and #88.
- Longest-running competitions
Claire and Jennifer were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1362 and #650.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Claire #90 in 1996, Jennifer #54 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Claire held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Jennifer in 54.
Highest recorded here: Claire #10 in 1984, Jennifer #4 in 1981.
The order changed in 2025: Claire moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #556 and #342; by 2025 that had become #352 and #413.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Claire #352, Jennifer #413.
New Zealand · Girls33 shared years, 1954–1993
Claire held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jennifer in 33.
Highest recorded here: Claire #23 in 1980, Jennifer #4 in 1958.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1993: Claire #85, Jennifer #67.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Claire held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jennifer in 30.
Highest recorded here: Claire #90 in 1996, Jennifer #54 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Claire #1362, Jennifer #650.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls28 shared years, 1976–2003
Claire held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Jennifer in 22.
Highest recorded here: Claire #40 in 1990, Jennifer #12 in 1976.
The order changed in 2001: Claire moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #65 and #63; by 2001 that had become #65 and #68.
Most recent shared year, 2003: Claire #57, Jennifer #88.
Northern Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 1997–2016
Claire held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Jennifer in 7.
Highest recorded here: Claire #26 in 1998, Jennifer #55 in 1997.
The order changed in 2015: Jennifer moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #199 and #255; by 2015 that had become #312 and #269.
Most recent shared year, 2016: Claire #440, Jennifer #353.
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 | Jennifer |
|---|---|---|
| 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 a Cornish form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar (Guinevere), combining 'gwyn' and 'hwyfar'. Confined mainly to Cornwall until George Bernard Shaw's 1906 play The Doctor's Dilemma sparked wider adoption. |
| Origin | Latin, via French transmission | Welsh, via Cornish transmission |
| Pronunciation | /klɛʁ/ | /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ɪ.fəɹ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #413 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| 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 is recorded with a Latin, via French transmission origin, while Jennifer is recorded with a Welsh, via Cornish transmission origin.
- Claire has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Jennifer.
- Claire's recorded meaning differs from Jennifer'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 Jennifer 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
Jennifer
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #331 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1952–2003
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1956 (recorded 1952–2003).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #650 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls