Namewise

Claire vs Lucy

Claire and Lucycompared 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.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Claire was ranked #352 and Lucy #16 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2013, Claire was ranked #96 and Lucy #17 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Claire was ranked #638 and Lucy #28 among girls in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Claire was ranked #407 and Lucy #38 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2022, Claire was ranked #86 and Lucy #43 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Claire was ranked #1021 and Lucy #123 among girls in England and Wales.

Claire and Lucy over time

Claire and Lucy appear together in 5 published lists, across 166 years of shared records. Lucy held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Claire in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 4 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 Lucy 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 New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Lucy moved into the top 50 at #40 in 1992 as Claire fell out of it to #59, having been #42 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1992, Lucy moved ahead of Claire in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #42 and #44 the year before became #59 and #40.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 38 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Claire and Lucy averaged 29.9 places apart, ending at #86 and #43.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 38 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Lucy rose about as far as Claire fell — from #51 and #89 in 1985 to #86 and #43 in 2022.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Claire and Lucy were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 38 years, from 1985 to 2022, ending at #86 and #43.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1997 they stood at #28 and #37 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2024 they were #407 and #38.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Claire held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Lucy in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Claire #10 in 1984, Lucy #3 in 2016.

    The order changed in 2000: Lucy moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #39 and #43; by 2000 that had become #41 and #38.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Claire #352, Lucy #16.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls38 shared years, 1985–2022

    Claire held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Lucy in 31.

    Highest recorded here: Claire #40 in 1990, Lucy #20 in 2012.

    The order changed in 1992: Lucy moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #42 and #44; by 1992 that had become #59 and #40.

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Claire #86, Lucy #43.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Claire held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lucy in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Claire #90 in 1996, Lucy #7 in 2003.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Claire #1021, Lucy #123.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 1997–2024

    Claire held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Lucy in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Claire #26 in 1998, Lucy #4 in 2007.

    The order changed in 1998: Lucy moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #28 and #37; by 1998 that had become #26 and #22.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Claire #407, Lucy #38.

  • New Zealand · Girls14 shared years, 1979–2013

    Claire held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Lucy in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Claire #30 in 1983, Lucy #17 in 2013.

    The order changed in 1991: Lucy moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #51 and #54; by 1991 that had become #77 and #51.

    Most recent shared year, 2013: Claire #96, Lucy #17.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Claire

Pairs where Claire shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Lucy

Pairs where Lucy shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Northern Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Northern Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Claire, Lucy
FieldClaireLucy
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningThe French form of Clara, from Latin 'clarus' meaning 'clear, bright'.The English form of Lucia, from Latin 'lux' meaning 'light'. In use since the Middle Ages.
OriginLatin, via French transmissionLatin
Pronunciation/klɛʁ//ˈluː.si/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesClaraNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #16 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Claire is recorded with a Latin, via French transmission origin, while Lucy is recorded with a Latin origin.
  • Claire and Lucy both have 2 syllables.
  • Claire's recorded meaning differs from Lucy'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 Lucy 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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #10 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1984 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #352 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

Lucy

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #523 among girls in Norway in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2016 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #32 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls