Saoirse vs Stephanie
Saoirse and Stephaniecompared 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, Saoirse was ranked #17 and Stephanie #294 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Saoirse was ranked #37 and Stephanie #391 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Saoirse was ranked #196 and Stephanie #541 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Saoirse was ranked #402 and Stephanie #719 among girls in England and Wales.
Saoirse and Stephanie over time
Saoirse and Stephanie appear together in 3 published lists, across 104 years of shared records. Saoirse held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Stephanie in 1.
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.
Stephanie 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 2003, Saoirse moved ahead of Stephanie in Northern Ireland · Girls — #112 and #100 the year before became #84 and #166.
- Mirrored each other
Over 52 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Saoirse rose about as far as Stephanie fell — from #417 and #139 in 1971 to #17 and #294 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Saoirse and Stephanie were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #402 and #719.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls52 shared years, 1971–2025
Saoirse held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Stephanie in 22.
Highest recorded here: Saoirse #12 in 2016, Stephanie #23 in 1990.
The order changed in 1996: Saoirse moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #80 and #51; by 1996 that had become #51 and #52.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Saoirse #17, Stephanie #294.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Saoirse held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Stephanie in 21.
Highest recorded here: Saoirse #307 in 2020, Stephanie #48 in 1996.
The order changed in 2017: Saoirse moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #387 and #354; by 2017 that had become #396 and #526.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Saoirse #402, Stephanie #719.
Northern Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 1997–2023
Saoirse held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Stephanie in 6.
Highest recorded here: Saoirse #37 in 2023, Stephanie #50 in 1997.
The order changed in 2003: Saoirse moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #112 and #100; by 2003 that had become #84 and #166.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Saoirse #37, Stephanie #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.
Side by side
| Field | Saoirse | Stephanie |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Means 'freedom' in Irish; first adopted as a given name in the 20th century, reportedly with nationalist/political resonance given the meaning. | The feminine form of Stephen, from Greek Stephanos meaning 'crown, wreath'. |
| Origin | Irish | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈsˠiːɾˠʃə/ | /ˈstɛf.ə.ni/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #17 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #294 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 65/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 70/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Saoirse is recorded with a Irish origin, while Stephanie is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Saoirse has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Stephanie.
- Saoirse's recorded meaning differs from Stephanie'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
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
Stephanie
Popularity journey
First recorded1953
First recorded at #97 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1953–2010
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1994 (recorded 1953–2010).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #719 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls