Cleo vs Iris
Cleo and Iriscompared 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.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Cleo was ranked #129 and Iris #61 among girls in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Cleo was ranked #82 and Iris #86 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Cleo was ranked #230 and Iris #138 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Cleo was ranked #273 and Iris #141 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Cleo was ranked #209 and Iris #151 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Cleo and Iris over time
Cleo and Iris appear together in 2 published lists, across 54 years of shared records. Iris 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.
Iris reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Cleo and Iris changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1974 and 2025, ending at #273 and #141.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Cleo #129 in 2024, Iris #61 in 2023.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Cleo held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Iris in 22.
Highest recorded here: Cleo #129 in 2024, Iris #61 in 2023.
The order changed in 2003: Iris moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #463 and #493; by 2003 that had become #435 and #412.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Cleo #129, Iris #61.
Republic of Ireland · Girls25 shared years, 1974–2025
Cleo held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Iris in 19.
Highest recorded here: Cleo #209 in 2024, Iris #120 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Cleo #273, Iris #141.
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 | Iris |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | ||
| 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 #100 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Cleo has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Iris.
- 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
Iris
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #239 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #61 among girls in England and Wales, in 2023 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #100 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls