Cleo vs Maria
Cleo and Mariacompared 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, Cleo was ranked #273 and Maria #74 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Cleo was ranked #129 and Maria #91 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Cleo was ranked #230 and Maria #120 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Cleo was ranked #209 and Maria #159 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Cleo and Maria over time
Cleo and Maria appear together in 3 published lists, across 66 years of shared records. Maria held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Cleo in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Maria reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Cleo held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Maria in 29.
Highest recorded here: Cleo #129 in 2024, Maria #66 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Cleo #129, Maria #91.
Republic of Ireland · Girls29 shared years, 1974–2025
Cleo held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Maria in 29.
Highest recorded here: Cleo #209 in 2024, Maria #27 in 1988.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Cleo #273, Maria #74.
Northern Ireland · Girls8 shared years, 2001–2023
Cleo held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Maria in 8.
Highest recorded here: Cleo #209 in 2023, Maria #65 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Cleo #209, Maria #159.
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 | Maria |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | The Latin form of Greek Maria, from Hebrew Miryam (see Mary). |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission |
| Pronunciation | /mɑ.ˈriː.ɑ/ | |
| 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #273 (2025) | Norway · Girls #62 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Maria has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission); Cleo does not have one recorded yet.
- Cleo has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Maria.
- A meaning is recorded for Maria; Cleo doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, 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
Maria
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #126 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: #3 among girls in Norway, in 1982 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #62 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls