Lorraine vs Niamh
Lorraine 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 1998, Lorraine was ranked #301 and Niamh #12 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2018, Lorraine was ranked #896 and Niamh #59 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Lorraine was ranked #2115 and Niamh #193 among girls in England and Wales.
Lorraine and Niamh over time
Lorraine and Niamh appear together in 2 published lists, across 79 years of shared records. Niamh held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Lorraine 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.
Lorraine 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 1974, Niamh moved ahead of Lorraine in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #22 and #26 the year before became #25 and #21.
- Longest-running competitions
Lorraine and Niamh were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 50 years, from 1964 to 2018, ending at #896 and #59.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls50 shared years, 1964–2018
Lorraine held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Niamh in 40.
Highest recorded here: Lorraine #14 in 1979, Niamh #2 in 1993.
The order changed in 1974: Niamh moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #22 and #26; by 1974 that had become #25 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Lorraine #896, Niamh #59.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Lorraine held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Niamh in 29.
Highest recorded here: Lorraine #661 in 1996, Niamh #40 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lorraine #2115, Niamh #193.
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.
Side by side
| Field | Lorraine | Niamh |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | 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. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Irish (mythological) |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈnʲiːvˠ/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Neve, Níam |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #2115 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #90 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Niamh has a recorded origin (Irish (mythological)); Lorraine does not have one recorded yet.
- Lorraine has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Niamh.
- A meaning is recorded for Niamh; Lorraine doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Lorraine 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
Lorraine
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #27 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2018
Highest recorded position: #14 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1979 (recorded 1964–2018).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2115 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls
Niamh
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1993 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #90 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls