Colette vs Maeve
Colette and Maevecompared 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, Colette was ranked #1672 and Maeve #26 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2018, Colette was ranked #896 and Maeve #114 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Colette and Maeve over time
Colette and Maeve appear together in 2 published lists, across 70 years of shared records. Maeve held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Colette in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Colette reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Maeve 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 1981, Maeve moved ahead of Colette in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #92 and #102 the year before became #105 and #82.
- Longest-running competitions
Colette and Maeve were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 41 years, from 1964 to 2018, ending at #896 and #114.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls41 shared years, 1964–2018
Colette held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Maeve in 25.
Highest recorded here: Colette #47 in 1964, Maeve #65 in 1999.
The order changed in 1981: Maeve moved ahead. In 1980 they stood at #92 and #102; by 1981 that had become #105 and #82.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Colette #896, Maeve #114.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Colette held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Maeve in 25.
Highest recorded here: Colette #479 in 1996, Maeve #26 in 2024.
The order changed in 2000: Maeve moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #721 and #900; by 2000 that had become #876 and #728.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Colette #1672, Maeve #26.
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 | Colette | Maeve |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #1672 (2024) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #38 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 60/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Colette has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Maeve.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
How each name got here
Colette
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #47 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
Highest recorded1964–2018
Highest recorded position: #47 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2018).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1672 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls
Maeve
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #80 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
Highest recorded2020–2023
Highest recorded position: #25 among girls in New Zealand, in 2023 (recorded 2020–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #38 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls