Namewise

Joan vs Siobhán

Joan 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.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2022, Joan was ranked #905 and Siobhán #634 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Joan was ranked #1743 and Siobhán #3015 among girls in England and Wales.

Joan and Siobhán over time

Joan and Siobhán appear together in 2 published lists, across 81 years of shared records. Siobhán held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Joan in 0.

The order between them changed and held in 2 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

    Joan and Siobhán were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 52 years, from 1964 to 2022, ending at #905 and #634.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Joan #1287 in 1997, Siobhán #138 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1964 they stood at #31 and #35 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 4 places apart; by 2022 they were #905 and #634.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls52 shared years, 1964–2022

    Joan held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Siobhán in 49.

    Highest recorded here: Joan #31 in 1964, Siobhán #15 in 1971.

    The order changed in 2022: Siobhán moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #629 and #896; by 2022 that had become #905 and #634.

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Joan #905, Siobhán #634.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Joan held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Siobhán in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Joan #1287 in 1997, Siobhán #138 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2018: Joan moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #2502 and #1817; by 2018 that had become #2499 and #4684.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Joan #1743, Siobhán #3015.

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 Joan, Siobhán
FieldJoanSiobhán
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
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ʃɪˈvɔːn/
Syllables11
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedChevonne, Shivaun
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #898 (2024)Republic of Ireland #90 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Siobhán has a recorded origin (Irish); Joan does not have one recorded yet.
  • Joan and Siobhán both have 1 syllable.
  • A meaning is recorded for Siobhán; Joan doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
  • The available evidence gives Joan 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

Joan

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #351 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2024

    Highest recorded position: #31 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2024).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #1743 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