Niamh vs Nyla
Niamh and Nylacompared 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 Nyla #288 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Niamh was ranked #76 and Nyla #315 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Niamh was ranked #90 and Nyla #381 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Niamh was ranked #193 and Nyla #193 among girls in England and Wales.
Niamh and Nyla over time
Niamh and Nyla appear together in 1 published list, across 27 years of shared records. Niamh held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Nyla in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Niamh reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Nyla 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.
- Mirrored each other
Over 27 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Nyla rose about as far as Niamh fell — from #120 and #3795 in 1996 to #193 and #193 in 2024.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls27 shared years, 1996–2024
Niamh held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Nyla in 0.
Highest recorded here: Niamh #47 in 1999, Nyla #193 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Niamh #193, Nyla #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 | Niamh | Nyla |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| 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. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Irish (mythological) | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈnʲiːvˠ/ | Not yet recorded |
| 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 |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #90 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #381 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| 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 has a recorded origin (Irish (mythological)); Nyla does not have one recorded yet.
- Niamh has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Nyla.
- A meaning is recorded for Niamh; Nyla doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
- The available evidence gives Niamh a "high" Data Confidence level and Nyla 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 #90 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Nyla
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #3795 among girls in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #193 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #381 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls