Claire vs Nicola
Claire and Nicolacompared 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 1998, Claire was ranked #52 and Nicola #93 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1993, Claire was ranked #85 and Nicola #59 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2016, Claire was ranked #440 and Nicola #306 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Claire was ranked #556 and Nicola #898 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Claire was ranked #638 and Nicola #790 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Claire was ranked #1362 and Nicola #4201 among girls in England and Wales.
Claire and Nicola over time
Claire and Nicola appear together in 4 published lists, across 139 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Nicola reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Claire 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Claire and Nicola changed places 8 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2024, ending at #556 and #898.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 31 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Claire and Nicola averaged 43.5 places apart, ending at #85 and #59.
- Longest-running competitions
Claire and Nicola were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1362 and #4201.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Claire #90 in 1996, Nicola #87 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #90 and #87 in England and Wales · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2025 they were #1362 and #4201.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls59 shared years, 1964–2024
Claire held the stronger position in 51 of those years, Nicola in 7.
Highest recorded here: Claire #10 in 1984, Nicola #17 in 1986.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Claire #556, Nicola #898.
New Zealand · Girls31 shared years, 1958–1993
Claire held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Nicola in 31.
Highest recorded here: Claire #23 in 1980, Nicola #2 in 1975.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1993: Claire #85, Nicola #59.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Claire held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Nicola in 23.
Highest recorded here: Claire #90 in 1996, Nicola #87 in 1996.
The order changed in 2019: Claire moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #1013 and #843; by 2019 that had become #838 and #1017.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Claire #1362, Nicola #4201.
Northern Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 1997–2016
Claire held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Nicola in 3.
Highest recorded here: Claire #26 in 1998, Nicola #72 in 1997.
The order changed in 2016: Nicola moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #312 and #426; by 2016 that had become #440 and #306.
Most recent shared year, 2016: Claire #440, Nicola #306.
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 | Nicola |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The French form of Clara, from Latin 'clarus' meaning 'clear, bright'. | The feminine form of Nicholas, from the Greek elements 'nike' (victory) and 'laos' (people). |
| Origin | Latin, via French transmission | Greek, feminine form |
| Pronunciation | /klɛʁ/ | /ˈnɪk.ə.lə/ |
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #4201 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| 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 Nicola is recorded with a Greek, feminine form origin.
- Claire has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Nicola.
- Claire's recorded meaning differs from Nicola'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 Nicola 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
Nicola
Popularity journey
First recorded1957
First recorded at #97 among girls in New Zealand in 1957 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Girls
Highest recorded1957–1996
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New Zealand, in 1975 (recorded 1957–1996).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #4201 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls