Mary vs Tara
Mary and Taracompared 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.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1991, Mary was ranked #89 and Tara #87 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Mary was ranked #112 and Tara #166 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Mary was ranked #171 and Tara #178 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Mary was ranked #518 and Tara #300 among girls in Norway.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Mary was ranked #315 and Tara #384 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Mary was ranked #329 and Tara #444 among girls in England and Wales.
Mary and Tara over time
Mary and Tara appear together in 4 published lists, across 160 years of shared records. Mary held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Tara in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Mary reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Tara 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2001, Mary moved ahead of Tara in England and Wales · Girls — #146 and #133 the year before became #145 and #153.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Mary and Tara changed places 9 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2023, ending at #171 and #178.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 27 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Mary and Tara averaged 40.8 places apart, ending at #171 and #178.
- Longest-running competitions
Mary and Tara were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #329 and #444.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Mary #118 in 1997, Tara #110 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls61 shared years, 1964–2025
Mary held the stronger position in 48 of those years, Tara in 12.
Highest recorded here: Mary #1 in 1964, Tara #27 in 1987.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Mary #112, Tara #166.
Norway · Girls42 shared years, 1973–2025
Mary held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Tara in 20.
Highest recorded here: Mary #173 in 1983, Tara #219 in 2006.
The order changed in 2020: Tara moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #340 and #363; by 2020 that had become #428 and #258.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Mary #518, Tara #300.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Mary held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Tara in 5.
Highest recorded here: Mary #118 in 1997, Tara #110 in 1996.
The order changed in 2001: Mary moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #146 and #133; by 2001 that had become #145 and #153.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Mary #329, Tara #444.
Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2023
Mary held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Tara in 15.
Highest recorded here: Mary #53 in 1997, Tara #45 in 2000.
The order changed in 2019: Mary moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #195 and #179; by 2019 that had become #167 and #298.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Mary #171, Tara #178.
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 | Mary | Tara |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #112 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #166 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Mary and Tara both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Mary
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #67 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #329 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Tara
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #327 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 recorded1983–2007
Highest recorded position: #20 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1985 (recorded 1983–2007).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #444 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls