Donna vs Maebh
Donna and Maebhcompared 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 2004, Donna was ranked #372 and Maebh #238 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Donna was ranked #736 and Maebh #898 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2023, Donna was ranked #5687 and Maebh #4056 among girls in England and Wales.
Donna and Maebh over time
Donna and Maebh appear together in 2 published lists, across 56 years of shared records. Donna held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Maebh 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.
Donna reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Maebh 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
Donna and Maebh changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Girls between 2004 and 2023, ending at #5687 and #4056.
- Longest-running competitions
Donna and Maebh were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 38 years, from 1979 to 2024, ending at #736 and #898.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls38 shared years, 1979–2024
Donna held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Maebh in 14.
Highest recorded here: Donna #33 in 1982, Maebh #201 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Donna #736, Maebh #898.
England and Wales · Girls18 shared years, 2004–2023
Donna held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Maebh in 7.
Highest recorded here: Donna #1252 in 2004, Maebh #2659 in 2014.
The order changed in 2021: Maebh moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #3447 and #5493; by 2021 that had become #4634 and #3519.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Donna #5687, Maebh #4056.
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 | Donna | Maebh |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #736 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #483 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Donna has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Maebh.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Donna
Popularity journey
First recorded1953
First recorded at #91 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1953–1982
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1964 (recorded 1953–1982).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #5891 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls
Maebh
Popularity journey
First recorded1979
First recorded at #420 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1979 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1979–2025
Highest recorded position: #201 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2009 (recorded 1979–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #483 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls