Erin vs Niamh
Erin and Niamhcompared 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, Erin was ranked #25 and Niamh #47 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Erin was ranked #65 and Niamh #193 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Erin was ranked #71 and Niamh #90 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Erin was ranked #72 and Niamh #76 among girls in Scotland.
Erin and Niamh over time
Erin and Niamh appear together in 3 published lists, across 107 years of shared records. Erin held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Niamh 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.
Niamh reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Erin 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2016, Erin moved ahead of Niamh in Northern Ireland · Girls — #24 and #23 the year before became #19 and #25.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Erin and Niamh averaged 48.6 places apart, ending at #65 and #193.
- Longest-running competitions
Erin and Niamh were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 50 years, from 1975 to 2025, ending at #71 and #90.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls50 shared years, 1975–2025
Erin held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Niamh in 41.
Highest recorded here: Erin #34 in 2006, Niamh #2 in 1993.
The order changed in 2018: Erin moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #58 and #47; by 2018 that had become #53 and #59.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Erin #71, Niamh #90.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Erin held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Niamh in 4.
Highest recorded here: Erin #27 in 2007, Niamh #40 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Erin #65, Niamh #193.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Erin held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Niamh in 11.
Highest recorded here: Erin #5 in 2009, Niamh #5 in 2005.
The order changed in 2016: Erin moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #24 and #23; by 2016 that had become #19 and #25.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Erin #25, Niamh #47.
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 | Erin | Niamh |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | An Anglicized form of Éireann, the Irish name for Ireland itself. | Traditionally interpreted as 'bright' or 'radiant'. In Irish mythology, Niamh was daughter of the sea god Manannán mac Lir, who fell in love with the poet Oisín. |
| Origin | Irish | Irish (mythological) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛɹ.ɪn/ | /ˈnʲiːvˠ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Neve, Níam |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #71 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #90 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Erin is recorded with a Irish origin, while Niamh is recorded with a Irish (mythological) origin.
- Erin has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Niamh.
- Erin's recorded meaning differs from Niamh's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Erin a "medium" Data Confidence level and Niamh a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Erin
Popularity journey
First recorded1975
First recorded at #89 among girls in New Zealand in 1975 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2009 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #71 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Niamh
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #109 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
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1993 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #90 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls