Clare vs Marian
Clare and Mariancompared 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 2013, Clare was ranked #587 and Marian #894 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Clare was ranked #4192 and Marian #4843 among girls in England and Wales.
Clare and Marian over time
Clare and Marian appear together in 2 published lists, across 72 years of shared records. Clare held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Marian in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Clare reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Marian 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Clare and Marian changed places 6 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #4192 and #4843.
- Longest-running competitions
Clare and Marian were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 43 years, from 1964 to 2013, ending at #587 and #894.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Clare #200 in 1996, Marian #1287 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls43 shared years, 1964–2013
Clare held the stronger position in 42 of those years, Marian in 1.
Highest recorded here: Clare #45 in 1985, Marian #57 in 1987.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2013: Clare #587, Marian #894.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Clare held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Marian in 5.
Highest recorded here: Clare #200 in 1996, Marian #1287 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Clare #4192, Marian #4843.
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 | Clare | Marian |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | Used for both boys and girls |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | GB-ENW, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #718 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #4843 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Clare and Marian both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Clare
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #55 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
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #45 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1985 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #718 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Marian
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #382 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2013
Highest recorded position: #57 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1987 (recorded 1964–2013).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #4843 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls