Eileen vs Mary
Eileen and Marycompared 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, Eileen was ranked #443 and Mary #112 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2021, Eileen was ranked #446 and Mary #152 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Eileen was ranked #638 and Mary #315 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Eileen was ranked #855 and Mary #337 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Eileen was ranked #501 and Mary #518 among girls in Norway.
Eileen and Mary over time
Eileen and Mary appear together in 4 published lists, across 172 years of shared records. Mary held the stronger position in more years in 4 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.
Mary reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Eileen 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
Eileen and Mary changed places 11 times in Norway · Girls between 1945 and 2025, ending at #501 and #518.
- Longest-running competitions
Eileen and Mary were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 69 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #501 and #518.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Eileen #314 in 1997, Mary #53 in 1997.
List by list
Norway · Girls69 shared years, 1945–2025
Eileen held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Mary in 61.
Highest recorded here: Eileen #224 in 1972, Mary #59 in 1947.
The order changed in 2020: Eileen moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #471 and #340; by 2020 that had become #354 and #428.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Eileen #501, Mary #518.
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Eileen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mary in 62.
Highest recorded here: Eileen #17 in 1964, Mary #1 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Eileen #443, Mary #112.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Eileen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mary in 29.
Highest recorded here: Eileen #855 in 2024, Mary #118 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Eileen #855, Mary #337.
Northern Ireland · Girls12 shared years, 1997–2021
Eileen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mary in 12.
Highest recorded here: Eileen #314 in 1997, Mary #53 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Eileen #446, Mary #152.
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 | Eileen | Mary |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #443 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #112 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Eileen and Mary both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Eileen
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #17 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #501 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls
Mary
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #67 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #518 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls