Claire vs Sophia
Claire and Sophiacompared 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.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Claire was ranked #638 and Sophia #6 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Claire was ranked #407 and Sophia #8 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2022, Claire was ranked #86 and Sophia #12 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Claire was ranked #1362 and Sophia #13 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Claire was ranked #352 and Sophia #14 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2013, Claire was ranked #96 and Sophia #16 among girls in New Zealand.
Claire and Sophia over time
Claire and Sophia appear together in 4 published lists, across 138 years of shared records. Sophia held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Claire in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 4 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 Sophia 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, Sophia moved ahead of Claire in England and Wales · Girls — #90 and #95 the year before became #114 and #91.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 25 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Claire and Sophia averaged 39.2 places apart, ending at #86 and #12.
- Longest-running competitions
Claire and Sophia were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1362 and #13.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #90 and #95 in England and Wales · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #1362 and #13.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls60 shared years, 1965–2025
Claire held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Sophia in 21.
Highest recorded here: Claire #10 in 1984, Sophia #13 in 2023.
The order changed in 2006: Sophia moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #79 and #85; by 2006 that had become #97 and #69.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Claire #352, Sophia #14.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Claire held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Sophia in 29.
Highest recorded here: Claire #90 in 1996, Sophia #7 in 2019.
The order changed in 1997: Sophia moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #90 and #95; by 1997 that had become #114 and #91.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Claire #1362, Sophia #13.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls25 shared years, 1997–2022
Claire held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Sophia in 21.
Highest recorded here: Claire #40 in 2007, Sophia #9 in 2019.
The order changed in 2002: Sophia moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #65 and #69; by 2002 that had become #75 and #55.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Claire #86, Sophia #12.
Northern Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 1997–2024
Claire held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Sophia in 16.
Highest recorded here: Claire #26 in 1998, Sophia #4 in 2011.
The order changed in 2003: Sophia moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #58 and #155; by 2003 that had become #89 and #89.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Claire #407, Sophia #8.
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 | Sophia |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The French form of Clara, from Latin 'clarus' meaning 'clear, bright'. | Wisdom. |
| Origin | Latin, via French transmission | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /klɛʁ/ | /soʊˈfiə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Clara | Sophie, Sofia |
| 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) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #6 (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 | high |
What the data shows
- Claire is recorded with a Latin, via French transmission origin, while Sophia is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Claire and Sophia both have 2 syllables.
- Claire's recorded meaning differs from Sophia's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
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
Sophia
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #325 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2011 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #13 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls