Claire vs Stephanie
Claire and Stephaniecompared 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 1993, Claire was ranked #85 and Stephanie #16 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2010, Claire was ranked #48 and Stephanie #73 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Claire was ranked #352 and Stephanie #294 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Claire was ranked #328 and Stephanie #391 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Claire was ranked #638 and Stephanie #541 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Claire was ranked #1362 and Stephanie #719 among girls in England and Wales.
Claire and Stephanie over time
Claire and Stephanie appear together in 5 published lists, across 179 years of shared records. Stephanie 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 3 of those lists, Stephanie 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2006, Claire moved ahead of Stephanie in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #97 and #58 the year before became #64 and #67.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Claire and Stephanie changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1954 and 1993, ending at #85 and #16.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 35 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Claire and Stephanie averaged 31.7 places apart, ending at #48 and #73.
- Longest-running competitions
Claire and Stephanie were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1362 and #719.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Claire #90 in 1996, Stephanie #48 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Claire held the stronger position in 59 of those years, Stephanie in 3.
Highest recorded here: Claire #10 in 1984, Stephanie #23 in 1990.
The order changed in 2025: Stephanie moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #556 and #631; by 2025 that had become #352 and #294.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Claire #352, Stephanie #294.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls35 shared years, 1976–2010
Claire held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Stephanie in 24.
Highest recorded here: Claire #40 in 1990, Stephanie #5 in 1994.
The order changed in 2006: Claire moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #97 and #58; by 2006 that had become #64 and #67.
Most recent shared year, 2010: Claire #48, Stephanie #73.
New Zealand · Girls33 shared years, 1954–1993
Claire held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Stephanie in 25.
Highest recorded here: Claire #23 in 1980, Stephanie #11 in 1991.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1993: Claire #85, Stephanie #16.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Claire held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Stephanie in 30.
Highest recorded here: Claire #90 in 1996, Stephanie #48 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Claire #1362, Stephanie #719.
Northern Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 1997–2023
Claire held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Stephanie in 1.
Highest recorded here: Claire #26 in 1998, Stephanie #50 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Claire #328, Stephanie #391.
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 | Stephanie |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Stephen, from Greek Stephanos meaning 'crown, wreath'. |
| Origin | Latin, via French transmission | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /klɛʁ/ | /ˈstɛf.ə.ni/ |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #294 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 65/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 70/100 |
| 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 Stephanie is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Claire has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Stephanie.
- Claire's recorded meaning differs from Stephanie'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 Stephanie 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
Stephanie
Popularity journey
First recorded1953
First recorded at #97 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1953–2010
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1994 (recorded 1953–2010).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #719 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls