Cleo vs Esther
Cleo and Esthercompared 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 2023, Cleo was ranked #82 and Esther #79 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Cleo was ranked #129 and Esther #145 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Cleo was ranked #273 and Esther #207 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Cleo was ranked #230 and Esther #260 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2022, Cleo was ranked #418 and Esther #418 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Cleo and Esther over time
Cleo and Esther appear together in 2 published lists, across 58 years of shared records. Esther held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Cleo in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Esther reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Cleo 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 2021, Cleo moved ahead of Esther in England and Wales · Girls — #180 and #167 the year before became #138 and #166.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Cleo and Esther changed places 6 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1974 and 2025, ending at #273 and #207.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Cleo held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Esther in 25.
Highest recorded here: Cleo #129 in 2024, Esther #141 in 2017.
The order changed in 2021: Cleo moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #180 and #167; by 2021 that had become #138 and #166.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Cleo #129, Esther #145.
Republic of Ireland · Girls29 shared years, 1974–2025
Cleo held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Esther in 26.
Highest recorded here: Cleo #209 in 2024, Esther #148 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Cleo #273, Esther #207.
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 | Cleo | Esther |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #273 (2025) | Norway · Girls #183 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Cleo has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Esther.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Cleo
Popularity journey
First recorded1974
First recorded at #490 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1974 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded2021–2023
Highest recorded position: #82 among girls in New Zealand, in 2023 (recorded 2021–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #273 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Esther
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #211 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded2013–2023
Highest recorded position: #79 among girls in New Zealand, in 2023 (recorded 2013–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #183 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls