Clare vs Ruth
Clare and Ruthcompared 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, Clare was ranked #718 and Ruth #247 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2016, Clare was ranked #440 and Ruth #353 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Clare was ranked #5927 and Ruth #542 among girls in England and Wales.
Clare and Ruth over time
Clare and Ruth appear together in 3 published lists, across 106 years of shared records. Ruth held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Clare in 0.
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.
Clare reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Ruth 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 1994, Ruth moved ahead of Clare in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #66 and #69 the year before became #70 and #61.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Clare and Ruth changed places 9 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2016, ending at #440 and #353.
- Longest-running competitions
Clare and Ruth were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #5927 and #542.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Clare #200 in 1996, Ruth #120 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls58 shared years, 1964–2025
Clare held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Ruth in 51.
Highest recorded here: Clare #45 in 1985, Ruth #42 in 1985.
The order changed in 1994: Ruth moved ahead. In 1993 they stood at #66 and #69; by 1994 that had become #70 and #61.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Clare #718, Ruth #247.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Clare held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Ruth in 30.
Highest recorded here: Clare #200 in 1996, Ruth #120 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Clare #5927, Ruth #542.
Northern Ireland · Girls18 shared years, 1997–2016
Clare held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Ruth in 10.
Highest recorded here: Clare #66 in 1997, Ruth #75 in 1998.
The order changed in 2012: Ruth moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #311 and #363; by 2012 that had become #383 and #297.
Most recent shared year, 2016: Clare #440, Ruth #353.
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 | Ruth |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Commonly interpreted as '(female) friend' or 'companion', probably a contraction of Hebrew re'ut. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈruːθ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #718 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #247 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ruth has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Clare does not have one recorded yet.
- Clare has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Ruth.
- A meaning is recorded for Ruth; Clare doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, 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 #5927 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Ruth
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #35 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #35 among girls in Norway, in 1945 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #542 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls