Namewise

Deirdre vs Eileen

Deirdre and Eileencompared 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 2019, Deirdre was ranked #871 and Eileen #421 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 1999, Deirdre was ranked #3900 and Eileen #1160 among girls in England and Wales.

Deirdre and Eileen over time

Deirdre and Eileen appear together in 1 published list, across 51 years of shared records. Deirdre held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Eileen 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.

Eileen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Deirdre 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.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Deirdre and Eileen were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 51 years, from 1964 to 2019, ending at #871 and #421.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Deirdre #7 in 1966, Eileen #17 in 1964.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1964 they stood at #14 and #17 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2019 they were #871 and #421.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls51 shared years, 1964–2019

    Deirdre held the stronger position in 42 of those years, Eileen in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Deirdre #7 in 1966, Eileen #17 in 1964.

    The order changed in 2008: Eileen moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #326 and #404; by 2008 that had become #403 and #230.

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Deirdre #871, Eileen #421.

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 Deirdre

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

Other comparisons involving Eileen

Pairs where Eileen 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 — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of 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.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2010s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2010 and 2019.

The 2010s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Deirdre, Eileen
FieldDeirdreEileen
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, IEGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #871 (2019)Republic of Ireland · Girls #443 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)60/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Deirdre and Eileen both have 2 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.

How each name got here

Deirdre

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #14 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 recorded1964–2019

    Highest recorded position: #7 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1966 (recorded 1964–2019).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2019

    Most recently recorded at #871 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2019.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

Eileen

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #324 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #17 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #816 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls