Namewise

Clodagh vs Jay

Clodagh and Jaycompared 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 2008, Clodagh was ranked #1914 and Jay #5545 among girls in England and Wales.

Clodagh and Jay over time

Clodagh and Jay appear together in 1 published list, across 13 years of shared records. Jay held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Clodagh 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.

Clodagh reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Jay 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

    Clodagh and Jay changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2008, ending at #1914 and #5545.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Clodagh #897 in 1997, Jay #701 in 1998.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Girls13 shared years, 19962008

    Clodagh held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Jay in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Clodagh #897 in 1997, Jay #701 in 1998.

    The order changed in 2006: Clodagh moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #2084 and #1934; by 2006 that had become #1983 and #5061.

    Most recent shared year, 2008: Clodagh #1914, Jay #5545.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Clodagh, Jay
FieldClodaghJay
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalemale
MeaningA place-derived name, taken from the River Clodiagh in County Waterford, rather than from a traditional Irish word root. Popularised as a personal name by Clodagh Beresford (1879-1957), daughter of the Marquess of Waterford.Not yet recorded
OriginIrishNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈkloʊdə/Not yet recorded
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IEAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #47 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #309 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)65/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)74/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Clodagh has a recorded origin (Irish); Jay does not have one recorded yet.
  • Clodagh has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Jay.
  • A meaning is recorded for Clodagh; Jay doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.

How each name got here

Clodagh

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #149 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

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #20 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2024 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #47 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

Jay

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1975

    First recorded at #100 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1975 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #33 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2009 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #309 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys