Lucy vs Niamh
Lucy 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.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Lucy was ranked #16 and Niamh #90 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2000, Lucy was ranked #23 and Niamh #94 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Lucy was ranked #28 and Niamh #76 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Lucy was ranked #38 and Niamh #47 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Lucy was ranked #143 and Niamh #208 among girls in England and Wales.
Lucy and Niamh over time
Lucy and Niamh appear together in 3 published lists, across 120 years of shared records. Lucy held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Niamh in 1.
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.
Niamh reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Lucy 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 2006, Lucy moved ahead of Niamh in Northern Ireland · Girls — #12 and #5 the year before became #6 and #12.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Lucy and Niamh averaged 59.4 places apart, ending at #143 and #208.
- Longest-running competitions
Lucy and Niamh were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #143 and #208.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Lucy #4 in 2007, Niamh #5 in 2005.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Lucy held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Niamh in 42.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #3 in 2016, Niamh #2 in 1993.
The order changed in 2006: Lucy moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #24 and #13; by 2006 that had become #13 and #18.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lucy #16, Niamh #90.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Lucy held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Niamh in 0.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #7 in 2003, Niamh #40 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lucy #143, Niamh #208.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Lucy held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Niamh in 8.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #4 in 2007, Niamh #5 in 2005.
The order changed in 2006: Lucy moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #12 and #5; by 2006 that had become #6 and #12.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lucy #38, Niamh #47.
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 | Lucy | Niamh |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The English form of Lucia, from Latin 'lux' meaning 'light'. In use since the Middle Ages. | 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 | Latin | Irish (mythological) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈluː.si/ | /ˈnʲiːvˠ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Neve, Níam |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #16 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #90 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Lucy is recorded with a Latin origin, while Niamh is recorded with a Irish (mythological) origin.
- Lucy has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Niamh.
- Lucy'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 Lucy 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
Lucy
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #523 among girls in Norway in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2016 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #143 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
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 #208 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls