Namewise

Hannah vs Niamh

Hannah and Niamhcompared 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 Zealand · Girls

    In 2000, Hannah was ranked #3 and Niamh #94 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Hannah was ranked #21 and Niamh #90 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Hannah was ranked #57 and Niamh #47 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Hannah was ranked #66 and Niamh #76 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Hannah was ranked #105 and Niamh #208 among girls in England and Wales.

Hannah and Niamh over time

Hannah and Niamh appear together in 3 published lists, across 120 years of shared records. Hannah held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Niamh 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.

Hannah reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Niamh 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.

  • One took the other's place near the top

    In Northern Ireland · Girls, Niamh moved into the top 50 at #47 in 2024 as Hannah fell out of it to #57, having been #36 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2024, Niamh moved ahead of Hannah in Northern Ireland · Girls — #36 and #43 the year before became #57 and #47.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Hannah and Niamh changed places 11 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2024, ending at #57 and #47.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Hannah and Niamh averaged 56.0 places apart, ending at #105 and #208.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Hannah and Niamh were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #105 and #208.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Hannah held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Niamh in 41.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #5 in 2019, Niamh #2 in 1993.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Hannah #21, Niamh #90.

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

    Hannah held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Niamh in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #6 in 1996, Niamh #40 in 2000.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Hannah #105, Niamh #208.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Hannah held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Niamh in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #6 in 1998, Niamh #5 in 2005.

    The order changed in 2024: Niamh moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #36 and #43; by 2024 that had become #57 and #47.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Hannah #57, Niamh #47.

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 Hannah

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

Other comparisons involving Niamh

Pairs where Niamh 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 — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

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

Northern Ireland 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 Hannah, Niamh
FieldHannahNiamh
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'favour' or 'grace', referring to graciousness.Traditionally interpreted as 'bright' or 'radiant'. In Irish mythology, Niamh was daughter of the sea god Manannán mac Lir, who fell in love with the poet Oisín.
OriginBiblical HebrewIrish (mythological)
Pronunciation/ˈhænə//ˈnʲiːvˠ/
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNeve, Níam
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #21 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #90 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Hannah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Niamh is recorded with a Irish (mythological) origin.
  • Hannah has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Niamh.
  • Hannah's recorded meaning differs from Niamh's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Hannah a "medium" Data Confidence level and Niamh a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Hannah

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #91 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 recorded1978–2023

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New Zealand, in 1996 (recorded 1978–2023).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #105 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Niamh

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #109 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: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1993 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #208 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls