Niamh vs Sophie
Niamh and Sophiecompared 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 2000, Niamh was ranked #94 and Sophie #6 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Niamh was ranked #90 and Sophie #6 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Niamh was ranked #47 and Sophie #14 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Niamh was ranked #76 and Sophie #17 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Niamh was ranked #208 and Sophie #63 among girls in England and Wales.
Niamh and Sophie over time
Niamh and Sophie appear together in 3 published lists, across 114 years of shared records. Sophie held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Niamh in 1.
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 2 of those lists, Sophie 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 2003, Sophie moved ahead of Niamh in Northern Ireland · Girls — #10 and #14 the year before became #14 and #11.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Niamh and Sophie averaged 14.1 places apart, ending at #47 and #14.
- Mirrored each other
Over 56 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Sophie rose about as far as Niamh fell — from #56 and #354 in 1967 to #90 and #6 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Niamh and Sophie were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #208 and #63.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls56 shared years, 1967–2025
Niamh held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Sophie in 23.
Highest recorded here: Niamh #2 in 1993, Sophie #1 in 2009.
The order changed in 2003: Sophie moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #8 and #9; by 2003 that had become #11 and #6.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Niamh #90, Sophie #6.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Niamh held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophie in 30.
Highest recorded here: Niamh #40 in 2000, Sophie #1 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Niamh #208, Sophie #63.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Niamh held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Sophie in 22.
Highest recorded here: Niamh #5 in 2005, Sophie #1 in 2010.
The order changed in 2003: Sophie moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #10 and #14; by 2003 that had become #14 and #11.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Niamh #47, Sophie #14.
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 | Sophie |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | The French form of Sophia, from Ancient Greek 'sophia' meaning 'wisdom'. |
| Origin | Irish (mythological) | Greek, via French transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈnʲiːvˠ/ | /sɔ.fi/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Neve, Níam | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #90 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #6 (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 Sophie is recorded with a Greek, via French transmission origin.
- Niamh has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Sophie.
- Niamh's recorded meaning differs from Sophie'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 Sophie 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
Sophie
Popularity journey
First recorded1960
First recorded at #492 among girls in Norway in 1960 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 1996 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #63 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls