Namewise

Claire vs Niamh

Claire and Niamhcompared 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.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Claire was ranked #407 and Niamh #47 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Claire was ranked #638 and Niamh #76 among girls in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Claire was ranked #352 and Niamh #90 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Claire was ranked #1362 and Niamh #208 among girls in England and Wales.

Claire and Niamh over time

Claire and Niamh appear together in 3 published lists, across 115 years of shared records. Niamh held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Claire in 0.

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, and Niamh 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 1997, Niamh moved ahead of Claire in England and Wales · Girls — #90 and #120 the year before became #114 and #86.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Claire and Niamh changed places 7 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2025, ending at #352 and #90.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Claire and Niamh were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1362 and #208.

List by list

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

    Claire held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Niamh in 56.

    Highest recorded here: Claire #10 in 1984, Niamh #2 in 1993.

    The order changed in 1988: Niamh moved ahead. In 1987 they stood at #10 and #11; by 1988 that had become #12 and #6.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Claire #352, Niamh #90.

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

    Claire held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Niamh in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Claire #90 in 1996, Niamh #40 in 2000.

    The order changed in 1997: Niamh moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #90 and #120; by 1997 that had become #114 and #86.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Claire #1362, Niamh #208.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 1997–2024

    Claire held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Niamh in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Claire #26 in 1998, Niamh #5 in 2005.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Claire #407, Niamh #47.

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 Niamh

Pairs where Niamh 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 — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of 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.

Republic of 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, Niamh
FieldClaireNiamh
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningThe French form of Clara, from Latin 'clarus' meaning 'clear, bright'.Traditionally interpreted as 'bright' or 'radiant'. In Irish mythology, Niamh was daughter of the sea god Manannán mac Lir, who fell in love with the poet Oisín.
OriginLatin, via French transmissionIrish (mythological)
Pronunciation/klɛʁ//ˈnʲiːvˠ/
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesClaraNeve, Níam
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #90 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighhigh

What the data shows

  • Claire is recorded with a Latin, via French transmission origin, while Niamh is recorded with a Irish (mythological) origin.
  • Claire has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Niamh.
  • Claire's recorded meaning differs from Niamh's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

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

Niamh

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #109 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1993 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #208 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls