Eile vs May
Eile and Maycompared 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, Eile was ranked #288 and May #407 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2017, Eile was ranked #471 and May #289 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2023, Eile was ranked #3218 and May #637 among girls in England and Wales.
Eile and May over time
Eile and May appear together in 1 published list, across 8 years of shared records. May held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Eile 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.
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.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls8 shared years, 2007–2017
Eile held the stronger position in 1 of those years, May in 7.
Highest recorded here: Eile #471 in 2017, May #289 in 2017.
The order changed in 2008: May moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #549 and #842; by 2008 that had become #862 and #665.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Eile #471, May #289.
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 | Eile | May |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | Northern Ireland · Girls #288 (2024) | Norway · Girls #481 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Eile has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for May.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Eile
Popularity journey
First recorded2007
First recorded at #549 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 2007 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded2013–2024
Highest recorded position: #288 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2024 (recorded 2013–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #288 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2024.
Northern Ireland · Girls
May
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #43 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #24 among girls in Norway, in 1956 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #481 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls