Namewise

Claire vs Philomena

Claire and Philomenacompared 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 Philomena #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Claire was ranked #1362 and Philomena #2788 among girls in England and Wales.

Claire and Philomena over time

Claire and Philomena appear together in 2 published lists, across 81 years of shared records. Claire held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Philomena in 0.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.

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 1965, Claire moved ahead of Philomena in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #75 and #72 the year before became #63 and #100.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Claire and Philomena were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 53 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #352 and #885.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1964 they stood at #75 and #72 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2025 they were #352 and #885.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls53 shared years, 1964–2025

    Claire held the stronger position in 52 of those years, Philomena in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Claire #10 in 1984, Philomena #72 in 1964.

    The order changed in 1965: Claire moved ahead. In 1964 they stood at #75 and #72; by 1965 that had become #63 and #100.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Claire #352, Philomena #885.

  • England and Wales · Girls28 shared years, 1996–2025

    Claire held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Philomena in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Claire #90 in 1996, Philomena #1658 in 2002.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Claire #1362, Philomena #2788.

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.

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Claire, Philomena
FieldClairePhilomena
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/Not yet recorded
Syllables24
Common variants / nicknamesClaraNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZGB-ENW, IE
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #885 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10070/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/10060/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Claire has a recorded origin (Latin, via French transmission); Philomena does not have one recorded yet.
  • Claire has 2 syllables, compared with 4 for Philomena.
  • A meaning is recorded for Claire; Philomena doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
  • The available evidence gives Claire a "high" Data Confidence level and Philomena 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

Philomena

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #72 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: #72 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2788 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls