Fiona vs Maria
Fiona and Mariacompared 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 1985, Fiona was ranked #56 and Maria #95 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Fiona was ranked #399 and Maria #62 among girls in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2017, Fiona was ranked #432 and Maria #72 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1987, Fiona was ranked #92 and Maria #73 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Fiona was ranked #325 and Maria #74 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Fiona was ranked #1406 and Maria #91 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Fiona was ranked #638 and Maria #120 among girls in Scotland.
Fiona and Maria over time
Fiona and Maria appear together in 6 published lists, across 204 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Maria reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Fiona in 2. 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 1969, Fiona moved ahead of Maria in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #17 and #16 the year before became #12 and #20.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Fiona and Maria averaged 21.0 places apart, ending at #56 and #95.
- Longest-running competitions
Fiona and Maria were both ranked in New Zealand · Girls for 32 years, from 1955 to 1987, ending at #92 and #73.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Fiona #14 in 1969, Maria #21 in 1967.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1997 they stood at #66 and #61 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2017 they were #432 and #72.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Fiona held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Maria in 26.
Highest recorded here: Fiona #4 in 1971, Maria #23 in 1967.
The order changed in 2000: Maria moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #56 and #71; by 2000 that had become #69 and #63.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Fiona #325, Maria #74.
Norway · Girls34 shared years, 1963–2025
Fiona held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Maria in 34.
Highest recorded here: Fiona #207 in 2015, Maria #4 in 1992.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Fiona #399, Maria #62.
New Zealand · Girls32 shared years, 1955–1987
Fiona held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Maria in 6.
Highest recorded here: Fiona #14 in 1969, Maria #21 in 1967.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1987: Fiona #92, Maria #73.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Fiona held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Maria in 29.
Highest recorded here: Fiona #157 in 1996, Maria #66 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Fiona #1406, Maria #91.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls29 shared years, 1956–1985
Fiona held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Maria in 13.
Highest recorded here: Fiona #12 in 1969, Maria #13 in 1966.
The order changed in 1969: Fiona moved ahead. In 1968 they stood at #17 and #16; by 1969 that had become #12 and #20.
Most recent shared year, 1985: Fiona #56, Maria #95.
Northern Ireland · Girls18 shared years, 1997–2017
Fiona held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Maria in 18.
Highest recorded here: Fiona #66 in 1997, Maria #51 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Fiona #432, Maria #72.
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 | Fiona | Maria |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The feminine form of Fionn. Popularized by Scottish poet James Macpherson in his 1761 poem Fingal, where it was spelled 'Fióna'. | The Latin form of Greek Maria, from Hebrew Miryam (see Mary). |
| Origin | Scottish, feminine of Fionn | Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission |
| Pronunciation | /fi.ˈoʊ.nə/ | /mɑ.ˈriː.ɑ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #325 (2025) | Norway · Girls #62 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Fiona is recorded with a Scottish, feminine of Fionn origin, while Maria is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission origin.
- Fiona and Maria both have 2 syllables.
- Fiona's recorded meaning differs from Maria's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Fiona
Popularity journey
First recorded1955
First recorded at #87 among girls in New Zealand in 1955 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1971 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #399 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls
Maria
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #126 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: #3 among girls in Norway, in 1982 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #62 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls