Namewise

Frances vs Siobhán

Frances and Siobháncompared 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 2008, Frances was ranked #370 and Siobhán #370 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2017, Frances was ranked #579 and Siobhán #396 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Frances was ranked #425 and Siobhán #3015 among girls in England and Wales.

Frances and Siobhán over time

Frances and Siobhán appear together in 3 published lists, across 85 years of shared records. Siobhán held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Frances in 1.

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

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.

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.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Frances and Siobhán were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 48 years, from 1964 to 2017, ending at #579 and #396.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Frances #161 in 1996, Siobhán #138 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls48 shared years, 19642017

    Frances held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Siobhán in 48.

    Highest recorded here: Frances #38 in 1964, Siobhán #15 in 1971.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2017: Frances #579, Siobhán #396.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 19962024

    Frances held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Siobhán in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Frances #161 in 1996, Siobhán #138 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2003: Frances moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #313 and #313; by 2003 that had become #359 and #423.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Frances #425, Siobhán #3015.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls8 shared years, 19972008

    Frances held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Siobhán in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Frances #227 in 1999, Siobhán #133 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2008: Frances #370, Siobhán #370.

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 Siobhán

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

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Frances, Siobhán
FieldFrancesSiobhán
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedShares the meaning of Joan/Jehanne: commonly interpreted as 'God is gracious'.
OriginNot yet recordedIrish
Pronunciation/ʃɪˈvɔːn/
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedChevonne, Shivaun
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Girls #425 (2024)Republic of Ireland #90 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Siobhán has a recorded origin (Irish); Frances does not have one recorded yet.
  • Frances has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Siobhán.
  • A meaning is recorded for Siobhán; Frances doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
  • The available evidence gives Frances a "medium" Data Confidence level and Siobhán a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Frances

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #64 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2023

    Highest recorded position: #38 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2023).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #425 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Girls

Siobhán

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #35 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #15 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1971 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #90 in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland