Claire vs Samantha
Claire and Samanthacompared 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 Zealand · Girls
In 2013, Claire was ranked #96 and Samantha #46 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2013, Claire was ranked #60 and Samantha #84 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Claire was ranked #352 and Samantha #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2021, Claire was ranked #446 and Samantha #446 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Claire was ranked #638 and Samantha #541 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Claire was ranked #1362 and Samantha #778 among girls in England and Wales.
Claire and Samantha over time
Claire and Samantha appear together in 5 published lists, across 165 years of shared records. Samantha held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Claire in 2.
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 4 of those lists, and Samantha 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, Claire moved into the top 50 at #48 in 2010 as Samantha fell out of it to #67, having been #47 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2010, Claire moved ahead of Samantha in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #50 and #47 the year before became #48 and #67.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Claire and Samantha changed places 9 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2021, ending at #446 and #446.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 38 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Claire and Samantha averaged 40.8 places apart, ending at #60 and #84.
- Longest-running competitions
Claire and Samantha were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1362 and #778.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Claire #90 in 1996, Samantha #32 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls60 shared years, 1966–2025
Claire held the stronger position in 58 of those years, Samantha in 1.
Highest recorded here: Claire #10 in 1984, Samantha #33 in 1986.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Claire #352, Samantha #885.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls38 shared years, 1976–2013
Claire held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Samantha in 34.
Highest recorded here: Claire #40 in 1990, Samantha #3 in 1992.
The order changed in 2010: Claire moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #50 and #47; by 2010 that had become #48 and #67.
Most recent shared year, 2013: Claire #60, Samantha #84.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Claire held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Samantha in 30.
Highest recorded here: Claire #90 in 1996, Samantha #32 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Claire #1362, Samantha #778.
Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 1997–2021
Claire held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Samantha in 7.
Highest recorded here: Claire #26 in 1998, Samantha #57 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Claire #446, Samantha #446.
New Zealand · Girls16 shared years, 1978–2013
Claire held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Samantha in 10.
Highest recorded here: Claire #23 in 1980, Samantha #3 in 1989.
The order changed in 1985: Samantha moved ahead. In 1984 they stood at #34 and #55; by 1985 that had become #33 and #29.
Most recent shared year, 2013: Claire #96, Samantha #46.
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 | Samantha |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The French form of Clara, from Latin 'clarus' meaning 'clear, bright'. | Likely a feminine adaptation of Samuel, incorporating a suffix possibly derived from Greek 'anthos' ('flower'). Emerged in 18th-century America; boosted to wide popularity by the 1964 television series Bewitched. |
| Origin | Latin, via French transmission | Hebrew, feminine adaptation (uncertain suffix origin) |
| Pronunciation | /klɛʁ/ | /sə.ˈmæn.θə/ |
| 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, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025) | Norway · Girls #525 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 76/100 |
| 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 Samantha is recorded with a Hebrew, feminine adaptation (uncertain suffix origin) origin.
- Claire has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Samantha.
- Claire's recorded meaning differs from Samantha'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 Samantha 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
Samantha
Popularity journey
First recorded1966
First recorded at #79 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1966–2013
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1992 (recorded 1966–2013).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #778 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls