Niamh vs Sinead
Niamh and Sineadcompared 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 2023, Niamh was ranked #43 and Sinead #391 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2022, Niamh was ranked #78 and Sinead #905 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Niamh was ranked #208 and Sinead #3333 among girls in England and Wales.
Niamh and Sinead over time
Niamh and Sinead appear together in 3 published lists, across 114 years of shared records. Niamh held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Sinead 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.
Sinead reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Niamh 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 1991, Niamh moved ahead of Sinead in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #6 and #4 the year before became #6 and #11.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Niamh and Sinead changed places 5 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2022, ending at #78 and #905.
- Longest-running competitions
Niamh and Sinead were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #208 and #3333.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1964 they stood at #109 and #109 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 0 places apart; by 2022 they were #78 and #905.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls58 shared years, 1964–2022
Niamh held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Sinead in 17.
Highest recorded here: Niamh #2 in 1993, Sinead #2 in 1975.
The order changed in 1991: Niamh moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #6 and #4; by 1991 that had become #6 and #11.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Niamh #78, Sinead #905.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Niamh held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Sinead in 0.
Highest recorded here: Niamh #40 in 2000, Sinead #154 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Niamh #208, Sinead #3333.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1997–2023
Niamh held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Sinead in 0.
Highest recorded here: Niamh #5 in 2005, Sinead #54 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Niamh #43, Sinead #391.
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 | Sinead |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Irish form of Jeannette/Janet; the underlying chain traces to the Hebrew name Yochanan, commonly interpreted as 'God is gracious'. |
| Origin | Irish (mythological) | Irish, via Anglo-Norman French Jeannette |
| Pronunciation | /ˈnʲiːvˠ/ | /ˈʃɪnʲeːdˠ/ |
| 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, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #90 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #3333 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| 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 Sinead is recorded with a Irish, via Anglo-Norman French Jeannette origin.
- Niamh has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Sinead.
- Niamh's recorded meaning differs from Sinead's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Niamh a "high" Data Confidence level and Sinead 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
Sinead
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 recorded1964–2022
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1975 (recorded 1964–2022).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #3333 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls