Namewise

Claire vs Molly

Claire and Mollycompared 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 Molly #20 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Claire was ranked #407 and Molly #28 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2013, Claire was ranked #96 and Molly #59 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Claire was ranked #638 and Molly #68 among girls in Scotland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2021, Claire was ranked #79 and Molly #100 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Claire was ranked #1362 and Molly #120 among girls in England and Wales.

Claire and Molly over time

Claire and Molly appear together in 4 published lists, across 112 years of shared records. Molly held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Claire in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 2 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, Molly in 1. 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, Molly moved ahead of Claire in Northern Ireland · Girls — #45 and #47 the year before became #48 and #27.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Claire and Molly changed places 10 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1996 and 2021, ending at #79 and #100.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Claire and Molly averaged 18.0 places apart, ending at #79 and #100.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Claire and Molly were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1362 and #120.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Claire #40 in 2007, Molly #32 in 2005.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls36 shared years, 1989–2025

    Claire held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Molly in 25.

    Highest recorded here: Claire #14 in 1989, Molly #18 in 2019.

    The order changed in 2001: Molly moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #41 and #43; by 2001 that had become #44 and #31.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Claire #352, Molly #20.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Claire held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Molly in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Claire #90 in 1996, Molly #15 in 2001.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Claire #1362, Molly #120.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls23 shared years, 1996–2021

    Claire held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Molly in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Claire #40 in 2007, Molly #32 in 2005.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Claire #79, Molly #100.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 1997–2024

    Claire held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Molly in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Claire #26 in 1998, Molly #18 in 2007.

    The order changed in 2001: Molly moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #45 and #47; by 2001 that had become #48 and #27.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Claire #407, Molly #28.

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 Molly

Pairs where Molly 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 — close in one country, far apart in another.

All close in one country, far apart in another→

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, Molly
FieldClaireMolly
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningThe French form of Clara, from Latin 'clarus' meaning 'clear, bright'.Not yet recorded
OriginLatin, via French transmissionNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/klɛʁ/
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 #20 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Claire has a recorded origin (Latin, via French transmission); Molly does not have one recorded yet.
  • Claire and Molly both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Claire; Molly doesn't have one written yet.
  • 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 Molly 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 #1362 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Molly

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1989

    First recorded at #408 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1989 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #15 among girls in England and Wales, in 2001 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #120 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls