Namewise

Grainne vs Maria

Grainne 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.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2018, Grainne was ranked #896 and Maria #61 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2022, Grainne was ranked #5669 and Maria #75 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Grainne was ranked #407 and Maria #97 among girls in Northern Ireland.

Grainne and Maria over time

Grainne and Maria appear together in 3 published lists, across 102 years of shared records. Maria held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Grainne in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Grainne reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Maria in 1. 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.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Grainne and Maria changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2018, ending at #896 and #61.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 55 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Grainne and Maria averaged 53.9 places apart, ending at #896 and #61.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Grainne and Maria were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 55 years, from 1964 to 2018, ending at #896 and #61.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls55 shared years, 1964–2018

    Grainne held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Maria in 51.

    Highest recorded here: Grainne #37 in 1989, Maria #23 in 1967.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2018: Grainne #896, Maria #61.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Grainne held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Maria in 27.

    Highest recorded here: Grainne #60 in 1998, Maria #49 in 2009.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Grainne #407, Maria #97.

  • England and Wales · Girls19 shared years, 1996–2022

    Grainne held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Maria in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Grainne #1234 in 1997, Maria #70 in 2020.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Grainne #5669, Maria #75.

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 Maria

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

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Grainne, Maria
FieldGrainneMaria
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedThe Latin form of Greek Maria, from Hebrew Miryam (see Mary).
OriginNot yet recordedBiblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission
PronunciationNot yet recorded/mɑ.ˈriː.ɑ/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IEAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorthern Ireland · Girls #407 (2024)Norway · Girls #62 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Maria has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission); Grainne does not have one recorded yet.
  • Grainne and Maria both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Maria; Grainne doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.

How each name got here

Grainne

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #62 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 recorded1964–2018

    Highest recorded position: #37 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1989 (recorded 1964–2018).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #407 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2024.

    Northern Ireland · Girls

Maria

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Norway, in 1982 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #62 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls