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Orla vs Sinead

Orla and Sinead compared 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.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Orla was ranked #64 and Sinead #3333 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2023, Orla was ranked #91 and Sinead #391 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2022, Orla was ranked #284 and Sinead #905 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Orla and Sinead over time

Republic of Ireland · Girls
#3#10#30#100#30019642022Orla #284Sinead #9051964: Orla #52, Sinead #1091965: Orla #39, Sinead #1081966: Orla #39, Sinead #761967: Orla #38, Sinead #601968: Orla #46, Sinead #571969: Orla #30, Sinead #411970: Orla #39, Sinead #241971: Orla #39, Sinead #51972: Orla #32, Sinead #51973: Orla #38, Sinead #41974: Orla #38, Sinead #51975: Orla #33, Sinead #21976: Orla #35, Sinead #21977: Orla #33, Sinead #21978: Orla #29, Sinead #31979: Orla #30, Sinead #51980: Orla #22, Sinead #81981: Orla #36, Sinead #61982: Orla #29, Sinead #91983: Orla #37, Sinead #81984: Orla #34, Sinead #111985: Orla #27, Sinead #151986: Orla #25, Sinead #111987: Orla #26, Sinead #121988: Orla #30, Sinead #111989: Orla #27, Sinead #91990: Orla #24, Sinead #41991: Orla #24, Sinead #111992: Orla #22, Sinead #141993: Orla #33, Sinead #171994: Orla #25, Sinead #211995: Orla #32, Sinead #201996: Orla #36, Sinead #201997: Orla #36, Sinead #201998: Orla #31, Sinead #231999: Orla #36, Sinead #262000: Orla #34, Sinead #292001: Orla #38, Sinead #332002: Orla #40, Sinead #302003: Orla #53, Sinead #382004: Orla #52, Sinead #472005: Orla #53, Sinead #472006: Orla #52, Sinead #612007: Orla #59, Sinead #652008: Orla #72, Sinead #732009: Orla #67, Sinead #822010: Orla #83, Sinead #982011: Orla #74, Sinead #942012: Orla #82, Sinead #1362013: Orla #116, Sinead #1312014: Orla #117, Sinead #1882015: Orla #109, Sinead #1922016: Orla #95, Sinead #1702017: Orla #152, Sinead #1782018: Orla #169, Sinead #6292019: Orla #201, Sinead #8712021: Orla #242, Sinead #6612022: Orla #284, Sinead #905

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

England and Wales · Girls
#100#300#1000#300019962025Orla #64Sinead #33331996: Orla #549, Sinead #2071997: Orla #396, Sinead #1901998: Orla #414, Sinead #2061999: Orla #267, Sinead #1882000: Orla #254, Sinead #2492001: Orla #282, Sinead #2302002: Orla #280, Sinead #2552003: Orla #269, Sinead #1542004: Orla #276, Sinead #2402005: Orla #319, Sinead #2942006: Orla #287, Sinead #3162007: Orla #251, Sinead #3902008: Orla #211, Sinead #4082009: Orla #164, Sinead #5862010: Orla #175, Sinead #5932011: Orla #155, Sinead #5692012: Orla #155, Sinead #5222013: Orla #132, Sinead #5842014: Orla #122, Sinead #7152015: Orla #106, Sinead #7222016: Orla #107, Sinead #12412017: Orla #88, Sinead #12582018: Orla #86, Sinead #13142019: Orla #78, Sinead #24582020: Orla #72, Sinead #15562021: Orla #66, Sinead #24992022: Orla #63, Sinead #35332023: Orla #56, Sinead #17052024: Orla #58, Sinead #36952025: Orla #64, Sinead #3333

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

Orla and Sinead over time

Orla and Sinead appear together in 3 published lists, across 114 years of shared records. Orla held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Sinead 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.

Sinead reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Orla 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 1998, Orla moved ahead of Sinead in Northern Ireland · Girls — #63 and #57 the year before became #40 and #54.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 58 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Orla and Sinead averaged 58.9 places apart, ending at #284 and #905.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Orla and Sinead were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #64 and #3333.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Orla #33 in 2000, Sinead #54 in 1998.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1997 they stood at #63 and #57 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2023 they were #91 and #391.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls58 shared years, 1964–2022

    Orla held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Sinead in 36.

    Highest recorded here: Orla #22 in 1980, Sinead #2 in 1975.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Orla #284, Sinead #905.

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

    Orla held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Sinead in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Orla #56 in 2023, Sinead #154 in 2003.

    The order changed in 2006: Orla moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #319 and #294; by 2006 that had become #287 and #316.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Orla #64, Sinead #3333.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1997–2023

    Orla held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Sinead in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Orla #33 in 2000, Sinead #54 in 1998.

    The order changed in 1998: Orla moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #63 and #57; by 1998 that had become #40 and #54.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Orla #91, 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.

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 Orla

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

Other comparisons involving Sinead

Pairs where Sinead 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 — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart →

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 Orla, Sinead
FieldOrlaSinead
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningThe Anglicized form of Órlaith, combining Irish 'ór' (gold) with 'flaith' (sovereignty, royalty) — traditionally read as 'golden princess' or 'golden sovereignty'.Irish form of Jeannette/Janet; the underlying chain traces to the Hebrew name Yochanan, commonly interpreted as 'God is gracious'.
OriginIrishIrish, via Anglo-Norman French Jeannette
Pronunciation/ˈɔɹ.lə//ˈʃɪnʲeːdˠ/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesÓrlaith, Orlagh, ÓrfhlaithNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageEngland and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of IrelandEngland and Wales, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, New Zealand
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Girls #64 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #3333 (2025)
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Orla is recorded with a Irish origin, while Sinead is recorded with a Irish, via Anglo-Norman French Jeannette origin.
  • Orla and Sinead both have 2 syllables.
  • Orla's recorded meaning differs from Sinead's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
  • The available evidence gives Orla 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

Orla

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #52 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. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #64 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Sinead

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 recorded1964–2022

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1975 (recorded 1964–2022).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #3333 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls