Harper vs Orlaith

Harper and Orlaithcompared 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, Harper was ranked #21 and Orlaith #138 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Harper was ranked #22 and Orlaith #654 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Harper was ranked #54 and Orlaith #352 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Harper was ranked #84 and Orlaith #119 among girls in Northern Ireland.

Harper and Orlaith over time

Harper and Orlaith appear together in 3 published lists, across 51 years of shared records. Harper held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Orlaith in 0.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Orlaith reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Harper 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 2015, Harper moved ahead of Orlaith in Northern Ireland · Girls — #129 and #119 the year before became #74 and #90.

List by list

England and Wales · Girls23 shared years, 2001–2024
Harper held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Orlaith in 10.
Highest recorded here: Harper #22 in 2023, Orlaith #475 in 2016.
The order changed in 2012: Harper moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #858 and #583; by 2012 that had become #284 and #635.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Harper #22, Orlaith #654.
Republic of Ireland · Girls15 shared years, 2009–2025
Harper held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Orlaith in 4.
Highest recorded here: Harper #53 in 2018, Orlaith #91 in 2009.
The order changed in 2015: Harper moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #164 and #127; by 2015 that had become #102 and #104.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Harper #54, Orlaith #352.
Northern Ireland · Girls13 shared years, 2012–2024
Harper held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Orlaith in 3.
Highest recorded here: Harper #38 in 2021, Orlaith #77 in 2012.
The order changed in 2015: Harper moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #129 and #119; by 2015 that had become #74 and #90.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Harper #84, Orlaith #119.

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 Harper

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

Harper vs Aurora
Harper and Aurora both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; New Zealand · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Harper · Aurora · 24 shared years, 2001–2025 · Moved together in several countries
Harper vs Daisy
Harper and Daisy both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; New South Wales, Australia · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Harper · Daisy · 24 shared years, 2001–2025 · Moved together in several countries
Harper vs Elsie
Harper and Elsie both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; New South Wales, Australia · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Harper · Elsie · 24 shared years, 2001–2025 · Moved together in several countries
Harper vs Poppy
Harper and Poppy both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; New South Wales, Australia · Girls; New Zealand · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Harper · Poppy · 24 shared years, 2001–2025 · Moved together in several countries

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Harper, Orlaith
Field	Harper	Orlaith
Record type	Editorially researched profile	Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usage	female	female
Meaning	An English occupational surname for someone who played or made harps, from Old English 'hearpe'. Popularized as a given name partly through author Harper Lee, who wrote To Kill a Mockingbird.	Not yet recorded
Origin	English (occupational surname)	Not yet recorded
Pronunciation	/ˈhɑɹ.pəɹ/	Not yet recorded
Syllables	2	2
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ	GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE
Most recent popularity observation	New South Wales, Australia · Girls #15 (2025)	Republic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	90/100	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	88/100	82/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Harper has a recorded origin (English (occupational surname)); Orlaith does not have one recorded yet.
Harper and Orlaith both have 2 syllables.
A meaning is recorded for Harper; Orlaith doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.

How each name got here

Harper

Popularity journey

First recorded1999
First recorded at #2425 among boys in England and Wales in 1999 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded2012–2023
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New Zealand, in 2017 (recorded 2012–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #15 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls

Orlaith

Popularity journey

First recorded1965
First recorded at #385 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #54 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2008 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #352 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls