Namewise

Niamh vs Sophia

Niamh and Sophiacompared 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.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Niamh was ranked #76 and Sophia #6 among girls in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Niamh was ranked #47 and Sophia #8 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Niamh was ranked #208 and Sophia #13 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Niamh was ranked #90 and Sophia #14 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2000, Niamh was ranked #94 and Sophia #64 among girls in New Zealand.

Niamh and Sophia over time

Niamh and Sophia appear together in 3 published lists, across 118 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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 Sophia 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 2011, Sophia moved ahead of Niamh in Northern Ireland · Girls — #22 and #29 the year before became #21 and #4.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Sophia rose about as far as Niamh fell — from #120 and #95 in 1996 to #208 and #13 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Niamh and Sophia were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #208 and #13.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls60 shared years, 1965–2025

    Niamh held the stronger position in 45 of those years, Sophia in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Niamh #2 in 1993, Sophia #13 in 2023.

    The order changed in 2011: Sophia moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #25 and #33; by 2011 that had become #30 and #29.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Niamh #90, Sophia #14.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Niamh held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Sophia in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Niamh #40 in 2000, Sophia #7 in 2019.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Niamh #208, Sophia #13.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Niamh held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Sophia in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Niamh #5 in 2005, Sophia #4 in 2011.

    The order changed in 2011: Sophia moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #22 and #29; by 2011 that had become #21 and #4.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Niamh #47, Sophia #8.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Niamh

Pairs where Niamh shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Sophia

Pairs where Sophia shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Northern Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Northern Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Niamh, Sophia
FieldNiamhSophia
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningTraditionally 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.Wisdom.
OriginIrish (mythological)Greek
Pronunciation/ˈnʲiːvˠ//soʊˈfiə/
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesNeve, NíamSophie, Sofia
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #90 (2025)New South Wales, Australia · Girls #6 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighhigh

What the data shows

  • Niamh is recorded with a Irish (mythological) origin, while Sophia is recorded with a Greek origin.
  • Niamh has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Sophia.
  • Niamh's recorded meaning differs from Sophia's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Niamh

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1993 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #208 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Sophia

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1965

    First recorded at #325 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2011 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #13 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls