Niamh vs Nina
Niamh and Ninacompared 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 2024, Niamh was ranked #47 and Nina #63 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Niamh was ranked #76 and Nina #97 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Niamh was ranked #90 and Nina #112 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Niamh was ranked #208 and Nina #157 among girls in England and Wales.
Niamh and Nina over time
Niamh and Nina appear together in 3 published lists, across 112 years of shared records. Niamh held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Nina 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.
Niamh reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Nina 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 2022, Nina moved ahead of Niamh in England and Wales · Girls — #136 and #137 the year before became #169 and #151.
- Mirrored each other
Over 54 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Nina rose about as far as Niamh fell — from #56 and #393 in 1967 to #90 and #112 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Niamh and Nina were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #208 and #157.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls54 shared years, 1967–2025
Niamh held the stronger position in 53 of those years, Nina in 1.
Highest recorded here: Niamh #2 in 1994, Nina #83 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Niamh #90, Nina #112.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Niamh held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Nina in 4.
Highest recorded here: Niamh #40 in 2000, Nina #137 in 2021.
The order changed in 2022: Nina moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #136 and #137; by 2022 that had become #169 and #151.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Niamh #208, Nina #157.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Niamh held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Nina in 0.
Highest recorded here: Niamh #5 in 2005, Nina #63 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Niamh #47, Nina #63.
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 | Niamh | Nina |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | 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. | A short form of names ending in '-nina', such as Antonina or Giannina; imported to Western Europe from Russia and Italy in the 19th century. |
| Origin | Irish (mythological) | Various (Russian/Italian short-form tradition) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈnʲiːvˠ/ | /ˈnʲi.nə/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Neve, Níam | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #90 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #112 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Niamh is recorded with a Irish (mythological) origin, while Nina is recorded with a Various (Russian/Italian short-form tradition) origin.
- Niamh has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Nina.
- Niamh's recorded meaning differs from Nina'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 Niamh a "high" Data Confidence level and Nina a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
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
Nina
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #132 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Norway, in 1964 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #157 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls