Philippa vs Sinead
Philippa 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 2018, Philippa was ranked #434 and Sinead #273 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Philippa was ranked #377 and Sinead #3695 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2022, Philippa was ranked #634 and Sinead #905 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Philippa and Sinead over time
Philippa and Sinead appear together in 3 published lists, across 82 years of shared records. Sinead held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Philippa in 1.
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.
Philippa reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Sinead 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Philippa and Sinead changed places 8 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #377 and #3695.
- Longest-running competitions
Philippa and Sinead were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 43 years, from 1968 to 2022, ending at #634 and #905.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls43 shared years, 1968–2022
Philippa held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Sinead in 40.
Highest recorded here: Philippa #298 in 1983, Sinead #2 in 1975.
The order changed in 2019: Philippa moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #734 and #629; by 2019 that had become #457 and #871.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Philippa #634, Sinead #905.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Philippa held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Sinead in 5.
Highest recorded here: Philippa #150 in 1996, Sinead #154 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Philippa #377, Sinead #3695.
Northern Ireland · Girls10 shared years, 1999–2018
Philippa held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sinead in 10.
Highest recorded here: Philippa #248 in 2000, Sinead #60 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Philippa #434, Sinead #273.
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 | Philippa | Sinead |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Irish form of Jeannette/Janet; the underlying chain traces to the Hebrew name Yochanan, commonly interpreted as 'God is gracious'. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Irish, via Anglo-Norman French Jeannette |
| Pronunciation | /ˈʃɪnʲeːdˠ/ | |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | 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 #544 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #3695 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Sinead has a recorded origin (Irish, via Anglo-Norman French Jeannette); Philippa does not have one recorded yet.
- Philippa has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Sinead.
- A meaning is recorded for Sinead; Philippa doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Philippa
Popularity journey
First recorded1956
First recorded at #86 among girls in New Zealand in 1956 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Girls
Highest recorded1956–1986
Highest recorded position: #69 among girls in New Zealand, in 1978 (recorded 1956–1986).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #544 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · 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 recent2024
Most recently recorded at #3695 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls