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Erin vs Ruby

Erin and Ruby compared 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.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2011, Erin was ranked #81 and Ruby #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2004, Erin was ranked #96 and Ruby #20 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Erin was ranked #25 and Ruby #38 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Erin was ranked #72 and Ruby #34 among girls in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Erin was ranked #71 and Ruby #36 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Erin was ranked #72 and Ruby #38 among girls in England and Wales.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2007, Erin was ranked #2741 and Ruby #4333 among boys in England and Wales.

Erin and Ruby over time

Republic of Ireland · Girls
#30#100#30019912025Erin #71Ruby #361991: Erin #180, Ruby #5151992: Erin #269, Ruby #5231994: Erin #179, Ruby #4501995: Erin #119, Ruby #4171996: Erin #137, Ruby #3931997: Erin #117, Ruby #3041998: Erin #65, Ruby #1921999: Erin #79, Ruby #2452000: Erin #49, Ruby #2272001: Erin #47, Ruby #1662002: Erin #48, Ruby #1622003: Erin #42, Ruby #1182004: Erin #51, Ruby #1102005: Erin #40, Ruby #582006: Erin #34, Ruby #412007: Erin #40, Ruby #342008: Erin #39, Ruby #212009: Erin #37, Ruby #172010: Erin #36, Ruby #232011: Erin #47, Ruby #202012: Erin #39, Ruby #202013: Erin #36, Ruby #162014: Erin #38, Ruby #222015: Erin #45, Ruby #272016: Erin #38, Ruby #322017: Erin #58, Ruby #332018: Erin #53, Ruby #332019: Erin #39, Ruby #282020: Erin #41, Ruby #342021: Erin #44, Ruby #262022: Erin #35, Ruby #382023: Erin #40, Ruby #372024: Erin #35, Ruby #302025: Erin #71, Ruby #36

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

England and Wales · Girls
#1#3#10#30#10019962025Erin #72Ruby #381996: Erin #100, Ruby #1031997: Erin #97, Ruby #1041998: Erin #79, Ruby #1071999: Erin #68, Ruby #932000: Erin #52, Ruby #782001: Erin #42, Ruby #672002: Erin #38, Ruby #662003: Erin #36, Ruby #472004: Erin #36, Ruby #312005: Erin #32, Ruby #122006: Erin #28, Ruby #42007: Erin #27, Ruby #12008: Erin #30, Ruby #22009: Erin #33, Ruby #22010: Erin #35, Ruby #72011: Erin #39, Ruby #72012: Erin #36, Ruby #122013: Erin #40, Ruby #112014: Erin #42, Ruby #152015: Erin #43, Ruby #172016: Erin #46, Ruby #262017: Erin #45, Ruby #292018: Erin #50, Ruby #322019: Erin #54, Ruby #272020: Erin #58, Ruby #302021: Erin #59, Ruby #342022: Erin #55, Ruby #302023: Erin #65, Ruby #392024: Erin #65, Ruby #412025: Erin #72, Ruby #38

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

Erin and Ruby over time

Erin and Ruby appear together in 4 published lists, across 103 years of shared records. Ruby held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Erin in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Erin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Ruby 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 2004, Ruby moved ahead of Erin in England and Wales · Girls — #36 and #47 the year before became #36 and #31.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Erin and Ruby changed places 8 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1998 and 2024, ending at #25 and #38.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Erin and Ruby averaged 23.2 places apart, ending at #72 and #38.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Erin and Ruby were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #72 and #38.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Erin #27 in 2007, Ruby #1 in 2007.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls34 shared years, 1991–2025

    Erin held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Ruby in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Erin #34 in 2006, Ruby #16 in 2013.

    The order changed in 2023: Ruby moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #35 and #38; by 2023 that had become #40 and #37.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Erin #71, Ruby #36.

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

    Erin held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Ruby in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Erin #27 in 2007, Ruby #1 in 2007.

    The order changed in 2004: Ruby moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #36 and #47; by 2004 that had become #36 and #31.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Erin #72, Ruby #38.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1998–2024

    Erin held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Ruby in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Erin #5 in 2009, Ruby #18 in 2011.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Erin #25, Ruby #38.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls12 shared years, 1997–2011

    Erin held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Ruby in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Erin #44 in 2001, Ruby #2 in 2011.

    The order changed in 1999: Ruby moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #45 and #72; by 1999 that had become #49 and #47.

    Most recent shared year, 2011: Erin #81, Ruby #2.

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 Erin

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

Other comparisons involving Ruby

Pairs where Ruby 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 — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years →

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

Pairs measured inside England and Wales's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

England and Wales 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 Erin, Ruby
FieldErinRuby
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningAn Anglicized form of Éireann, the Irish name for Ireland itself.Taken from the gemstone name; the ruby is the traditional July birthstone. As a given name it came into use in the 16th century.
OriginIrishEnglish, ultimately from Latin rubeus ('red')
Pronunciation/ˈɛɹ.ɪn//ˈruːbi/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, New ZealandNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New Zealand
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #71 (2025)New South Wales, Australia · Girls #28 (2025)
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Erin is recorded with a Irish origin, while Ruby is recorded with a English, ultimately from Latin rubeus ('red') origin.
  • Erin and Ruby both have 2 syllables.
  • Erin's recorded meaning differs from Ruby's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Erin

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2009 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #72 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Ruby

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1991

    First recorded at #515 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1991 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2007 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #38 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls