Namewise

Jordan vs Niamh

Jordan 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 2006, Jordan was ranked #384 and Niamh #12 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2008, Jordan was ranked #750 and Niamh #18 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Jordan was ranked #4201 and Niamh #208 among girls in England and Wales.

Jordan and Niamh over time

Jordan and Niamh appear together in 3 published lists, across 56 years of shared records. Niamh held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Jordan in 0.

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

Jordan 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.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Jordan #72 in 1998, Niamh #40 in 2000.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1996 they stood at #126 and #120 in England and Wales · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2025 they were #4201 and #208.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2025

    Jordan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Niamh in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Jordan #72 in 1998, Niamh #40 in 2000.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jordan #4201, Niamh #208.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls18 shared years, 1989–2008

    Jordan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Niamh in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Jordan #103 in 1998, Niamh #2 in 1993.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2008: Jordan #750, Niamh #18.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls9 shared years, 1997–2006

    Jordan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Niamh in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Jordan #74 in 1998, Niamh #7 in 2000.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2006: Jordan #384, Niamh #12.

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 Jordan

Pairs where Jordan 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 England and Wales lists

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

England and Wales 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 Jordan, Niamh
FieldJordanNiamh
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalefemale
MeaningFrom the Jordan River, from Hebrew Yarden ('descend, flow down'). Crusaders brought water from the river to baptize children in Europe after John the Baptist baptized Jesus there.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 Hebrew (place name origin)Irish (mythological)
Pronunciation/ˈd͡ʒɔɹ.dən//ˈnʲiːvˠ/
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNeve, Níam
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNew South Wales, Australia · Boys #90 (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

  • Jordan is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew (place name origin) origin, while Niamh is recorded with a Irish (mythological) origin.
  • Jordan has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Niamh.
  • Jordan'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 Jordan 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

Jordan

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1978

    First recorded at #283 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1978 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 1997 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #4201 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