Fiona vs Orla
Fiona and Orlacompared 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.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Fiona was ranked #638 and Orla #19 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Fiona was ranked #1406 and Orla #58 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2017, Fiona was ranked #432 and Orla #118 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Fiona was ranked #325 and Orla #189 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Fiona and Orla over time
Fiona and Orla appear together in 3 published lists, across 109 years of shared records. Orla held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Fiona in 0.
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.
Fiona reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Orla 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 1994, Orla moved ahead of Fiona in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #24 and #33 the year before became #34 and #25.
- Longest-running competitions
Fiona and Orla were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #325 and #189.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1997 they stood at #66 and #63 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2017 they were #432 and #118.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Fiona held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Orla in 33.
Highest recorded here: Fiona #4 in 1971, Orla #22 in 1980.
The order changed in 1994: Orla moved ahead. In 1993 they stood at #24 and #33; by 1994 that had become #34 and #25.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Fiona #325, Orla #189.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Fiona held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Orla in 22.
Highest recorded here: Fiona #157 in 1996, Orla #56 in 2023.
The order changed in 2003: Orla moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #268 and #280; by 2003 that had become #336 and #269.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Fiona #1406, Orla #58.
Northern Ireland · Girls18 shared years, 1997–2017
Fiona held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Orla in 18.
Highest recorded here: Fiona #66 in 1997, Orla #33 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Fiona #432, Orla #118.
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 | Orla |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Anglicized form of Órlaith, combining Irish 'ór' (gold) with 'flaith' (sovereignty, royalty) — traditionally read as 'golden princess' or 'golden sovereignty'. |
| Origin | Scottish, feminine of Fionn | Irish |
| Pronunciation | /fi.ˈoʊ.nə/ | /ˈɔɹ.lə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Órlaith, Orlagh, Órfhlaith |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #325 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #189 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Fiona is recorded with a Scottish, feminine of Fionn origin, while Orla is recorded with a Irish origin.
- Fiona and Orla both have 2 syllables.
- Fiona's recorded meaning differs from Orla's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
- The available evidence gives Fiona a "medium" Data Confidence level and Orla a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
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
Orla
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #52 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
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #189 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls