Namewise

Janet vs Niamh

Janet 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.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 1999, Janet was ranked #344 and Niamh #8 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2018, Janet was ranked #896 and Niamh #59 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Janet was ranked #4867 and Niamh #208 among girls in England and Wales.

Janet and Niamh over time

Janet and Niamh appear together in 2 published lists, across 73 years of shared records. Niamh held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Janet in 0.

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.

Janet reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Niamh 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 1966, Niamh moved ahead of Janet in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #87 and #89 the year before became #86 and #56.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Janet and Niamh were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #4867 and #208.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1964 they stood at #106 and #109 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2018 they were #896 and #59.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls43 shared years, 1964–2018

    Janet held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Niamh in 41.

    Highest recorded here: Janet #86 in 1966, Niamh #2 in 1993.

    The order changed in 1966: Niamh moved ahead. In 1965 they stood at #87 and #89; by 1966 that had become #86 and #56.

    Most recent shared year, 2018: Janet #896, Niamh #59.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Janet #1031 in 1996, Niamh #40 in 2000.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Janet #4867, Niamh #208.

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 Janet

Pairs where Janet 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 — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of 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.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2010s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2010 and 2019.

The 2010s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Janet, Niamh
FieldJanetNiamh
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedTraditionally 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.
OriginNot yet recordedIrish (mythological)
Pronunciation/ˈnʲiːvˠ/
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNeve, Níam
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Girls #4867 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #90 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Niamh has a recorded origin (Irish (mythological)); Janet does not have one recorded yet.
  • Janet has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Niamh.
  • A meaning is recorded for Niamh; Janet doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Janet 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

Janet

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1947

    First recorded at #308 among girls in Norway in 1947 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1954–1966

    Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1966).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #4867 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