Namewise

Clodagh vs Zoe

Clodagh and Zoecompared 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.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Clodagh was ranked #20 and Zoe #105 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Clodagh was ranked #47 and Zoe #46 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Clodagh was ranked #431 and Zoe #76 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Clodagh was ranked #1197 and Zoe #104 among girls in England and Wales.

Clodagh and Zoe over time

Clodagh and Zoe appear together in 3 published lists, across 115 years of shared records. Zoe held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Clodagh in 1.

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.

Zoe reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Clodagh in 1. 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 took the other's place near the top

    In Northern Ireland · Girls, Clodagh moved into the top 50 at #36 in 2021 as Zoe fell out of it to #61, having been #45 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2021, Clodagh moved ahead of Zoe in Northern Ireland · Girls — #47 and #45 the year before became #36 and #61.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Clodagh and Zoe changed places 7 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2024, ending at #20 and #105.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Clodagh and Zoe averaged 24.3 places apart, ending at #20 and #105.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Clodagh and Zoe were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1197 and #104.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Clodagh #897 in 1997, Zoe #31 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls57 shared years, 1968–2025

    Clodagh held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Zoe in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Clodagh #34 in 2009, Zoe #26 in 2016.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Clodagh #47, Zoe #46.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Clodagh held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Zoe in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Clodagh #897 in 1997, Zoe #31 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Clodagh #1197, Zoe #104.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Clodagh held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Zoe in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Clodagh #20 in 2024, Zoe #32 in 2002.

    The order changed in 2021: Clodagh moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #47 and #45; by 2021 that had become #36 and #61.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Clodagh #20, Zoe #105.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Clodagh

Pairs where Clodagh shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Zoe

Pairs where Zoe shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Northern Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Northern Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Clodagh, Zoe
FieldClodaghZoe
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
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.Means 'life' in Greek.
OriginIrishAncient Greek
Pronunciation/ˈkloʊdə//ˈzoʊi/
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, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #47 (2025)New South Wales, Australia · Girls #19 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)65/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)74/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Clodagh is recorded with a Irish origin, while Zoe is recorded with a Ancient Greek origin.
  • Clodagh has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Zoe.
  • Clodagh's recorded meaning differs from Zoe's — see the table above for each.
  • 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 #1197 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Zoe

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1968

    First recorded at #401 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1968 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1981–2025

    Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2015 (recorded 1981–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #104 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls