Nicole vs Saoirse
Nicole and Saoirsecompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Nicole was ranked #381 and Saoirse #17 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Nicole was ranked #407 and Saoirse #37 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Nicole was ranked #638 and Saoirse #196 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Nicole was ranked #412 and Saoirse #402 among girls in England and Wales.
Nicole and Saoirse over time
Nicole and Saoirse appear together in 3 published lists, across 109 years of shared records. Nicole held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Saoirse in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Nicole reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Saoirse 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 2015, Saoirse moved ahead of Nicole in Northern Ireland · Girls — #86 and #106 the year before became #116 and #88.
- Mirrored each other
Over 52 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Saoirse rose about as far as Nicole fell — from #220 and #417 in 1971 to #381 and #17 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Nicole and Saoirse were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #412 and #402.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls52 shared years, 1971–2025
Nicole held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Saoirse in 22.
Highest recorded here: Nicole #15 in 1996, Saoirse #12 in 2016.
The order changed in 2004: Saoirse moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #34 and #36; by 2004 that had become #40 and #35.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Nicole #381, Saoirse #17.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Nicole held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Saoirse in 1.
Highest recorded here: Nicole #36 in 1996, Saoirse #307 in 2020.
The order changed in 2025: Saoirse moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #328 and #443; by 2025 that had become #412 and #402.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Nicole #412, Saoirse #402.
Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2024
Nicole held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Saoirse in 9.
Highest recorded here: Nicole #14 in 1998, Saoirse #37 in 2024.
The order changed in 2015: Saoirse moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #86 and #106; by 2015 that had become #116 and #88.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Nicole #407, Saoirse #37.
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 | Nicole | Saoirse |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The French feminine form of Nicholas, from the Greek elements 'nike' (victory) and 'laos' (people). | Means 'freedom' in Irish; first adopted as a given name in the 20th century, reportedly with nationalist/political resonance given the meaning. |
| Origin | Greek, via French transmission | Irish |
| Pronunciation | /nɪ.ˈkoʊl/ | /ˈsˠiːɾˠʃə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #381 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #17 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Nicole is recorded with a Greek, via French transmission origin, while Saoirse is recorded with a Irish origin.
- Nicole has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Saoirse.
- Nicole's recorded meaning differs from Saoirse's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Nicole
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #91 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2002
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1975 (recorded 1964–2002).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #412 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Saoirse
Popularity journey
First recorded1971
First recorded at #417 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1971 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1971–2025
Highest recorded position: #12 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2016 (recorded 1971–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #402 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls