Namewise

Eileen vs Paula

Eileen and Paulacompared 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 2021, Eileen was ranked #446 and Paula #298 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Eileen was ranked #443 and Paula #718 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Eileen was ranked #501 and Paula #521 among girls in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Eileen was ranked #816 and Paula #1584 among girls in England and Wales.

Eileen and Paula over time

Eileen and Paula appear together in 4 published lists, across 171 years of shared records. Paula held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Eileen in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Paula reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Eileen 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.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls72 shared years, 1945–2025

    Eileen held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Paula in 48.

    Highest recorded here: Eileen #224 in 1972, Paula #214 in 1949.

    The order changed in 2024: Eileen moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #371 and #364; by 2024 that had become #265 and #507.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Eileen #501, Paula #521.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls61 shared years, 1964–2025

    Eileen held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Paula in 25.

    Highest recorded here: Eileen #17 in 1964, Paula #15 in 1979.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Eileen #443, Paula #718.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Eileen held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Paula in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Eileen #816 in 2025, Paula #549 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2022: Eileen moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #1069 and #957; by 2022 that had become #876 and #1685.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Eileen #816, Paula #1584.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls8 shared years, 1997–2021

    Eileen held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Paula in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Eileen #314 in 1997, Paula #172 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Eileen #446, Paula #298.

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 Eileen

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

Other comparisons involving Paula

Pairs where Paula 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 — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

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 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Eileen, Paula
FieldEileenPaula
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 recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NOAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #443 (2025)Norway · Girls #521 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Eileen and Paula both have 2 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO.

How each name got here

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

Paula

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #264 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 recorded1954–1984

    Highest recorded position: #15 among girls in New Zealand, in 1970 (recorded 1954–1984).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1584 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls