Dara vs Zoe
Dara 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.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Dara was ranked #352 and Zoe #46 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2021, Dara was ranked #350 and Zoe #61 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Dara was ranked #790 and Zoe #76 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Dara was ranked #2574 and Zoe #99 among girls in England and Wales.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Dara was ranked #1025 and Zoe #4270 among boys in England and Wales.
Dara and Zoe over time
Dara and Zoe appear together in 3 published lists, across 100 years of shared records. Zoe held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Dara 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.
Zoe reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Dara 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.
- Mirrored each other
Over 54 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Zoe rose about as far as Dara fell — from #196 and #307 in 1970 to #352 and #46 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Dara and Zoe were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 54 years, from 1970 to 2025, ending at #352 and #46.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Dara #202 in 2003, Zoe #32 in 2002.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls54 shared years, 1970–2025
Dara held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Zoe in 47.
Highest recorded here: Dara #194 in 1999, Zoe #26 in 2016.
The order changed in 1980: Zoe moved ahead. In 1979 they stood at #261 and #273; by 1980 that had become #542 and #311.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Dara #352, Zoe #46.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Dara held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Zoe in 29.
Highest recorded here: Dara #1393 in 1999, Zoe #31 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Dara #2574, Zoe #99.
Northern Ireland · Girls17 shared years, 1997–2021
Dara held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Zoe in 17.
Highest recorded here: Dara #202 in 2003, Zoe #32 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Dara #350, Zoe #61.
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 | Dara | Zoe |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | Used for both boys and girls | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Means 'life' in Greek. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Ancient Greek |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈzoʊi/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #108 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #19 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Zoe has a recorded origin (Ancient Greek); Dara does not have one recorded yet.
- Dara has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Zoe.
- A meaning is recorded for Zoe; Dara doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Dara
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #155 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #72 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2010 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #352 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Zoe
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1981–2025
Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2015 (recorded 1981–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #19 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls