Heather

femaleStatistical record

What official birth registration shows about Heather: which national registrars published it, in which years, and how its recorded position changed.

No researched meaning, origin or pronunciation yet — what that means.

Heather: Recorded every year since 1952, it reached #15 in 1955, and it stood at #325 in 2025.

6registrars recorded it
151times a registrar ranked it
74years from first to last
#15highest recorded position
28groupings it qualifies for
63names it appears alongside

What stands out in Heather's record

Ranked every year since 1952, without a single year missing. Names by continuity of record
Held a top-100 place for 28 years running. Names by top-100 run
Moved 145 places between two consecutive years — its largest recorded change. Names by largest single-year move
Appears alongside 63 other names across 8 kinds of recorded relationship. All recorded relationships

Region

Falling

among girls in England and Wales · 1996–2024

View as table

England and Wales · Girls rank by year
Year	Rank
1996	#78
1997	#78
1998	#102
1999	#120
2000	#129
2001	#120
2002	#140
2003	#164
2004	#183
2005	#190
2006	#213
2007	#265
2008	#363
2009	#438
2010	#559
2011	#702
2012	#812
2013	#982
2014	#699
2015	#708
2016	#768
2017	#889
2018	#952
2019	#1095
2020	#941
2021	#957
2022	#785
2023	#981
2024	#826

VerifiedSource: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales.Confidence: high.

See all England and Wales names · Source: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales

What the data shows

FallingEngland and Wales · Girls

Recorded in official data among girls in Republic of Ireland in every year from 1964 to 2025.

In 2024: #351 among girls in Scotland, #826 among girls in England and Wales, #898 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Official data from 6 national registrars across 6 regions, 1952–2025 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

Popularity journey

First recorded1952
First recorded at #45 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1954–1983
Highest recorded position: #15 among girls in New Zealand, in 1955 (recorded 1954–1983).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #325 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls

Heather appears in 5 of the published lists Namewise holds. The longest record is Republic of Ireland · Girls, with 62 ranked years and 1,826 births registered; the earliest is New South Wales, Australia · Girls, from 1952.

Heather across 5 official records

Each registrar publishes its own list, so these figures are read down a row, never across one. A position in one country is not comparable with a position in another, and Namewise never combines them into a single ranking. The birth counts do not compare across rows either, for a different reason: England and Wales registers roughly thirty times as many births a year as Northern Ireland, so a larger total says which registrar recorded it as much as how widely the name was given.

Heather's first, highest and most recent recorded position in each official list, with the number of births each registrar registered with the name and its largest single year
Published list	First recorded	Highest	Most recent	Years recorded	Births registered	Most in one year
Republic of Ireland · Girls	#167 (1964)	#83 (2003)	#325 (2025)	62 of 62	1,826 (1964–2025)	63 (2006)
New South Wales, Australia · Girls	#45 (1952)	#44 (1954)	#97 (1986)	21 of 35	2,889 (1952–1986)	211 (1955)
New Zealand · Girls	#20 (1954)	#15 (1955)	#94 (1983)	27 of 30	4,351 (1954–1983)	329 (1955)
England and Wales · Girls	#78 (1996)	#78 (1996)	#826 (2024)	29 of 29	5,497 (1996–2024)	713 (1996)
Northern Ireland · Girls	#172 (1997)	#166 (2003)	#351 (2007)	11 of 11	82 (1997–2007)	11 (1997)

Heather by decade in Republic of Ireland · Girls

Births registered with the name in each decade of this one list, with the number of years the list covers in that decade. Bars are scaled on births a year, which is the figure that compares between decades — a decade the list only partly covers has a smaller total without being a quieter decade. Figures belong to this registrar alone and do not carry to another.

Births registered with Heather in Republic of Ireland · Girls, by decade, with years covered and the average per year
Decade	Births registered	Years covered	A year
1960s	133	6 of 10	22
1970s	239	10 of 10	24
1980s	296	10 of 10	30
1990s	465	10 of 10	47
2000sbusiest	479	10 of 10	48
2010s	156	10 of 10	16
2020s	58	6 of 10	10

Across Republic of Ireland · Girls, the 2000s were its busiest decade, averaging 48 births a year.

See the names Republic of Irelandhas recorded the most births with →

Heather appears in

Groupings this name qualifies for under their own stated rules, from the same official statistics shown above.

Popularity data

Official popularity data is available for 6 regions, from 1952 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #15 in New Zealand in 1955.

Heather's recorded popularity observations by year, region and administrative category, including rank, registered births, source confidence and when each region's data was last reviewed.
Year	Region	Category	Rank	Births registered	Confidence	Status
2024	England and Wales	female	#826	45	High	Verified
2023	England and Wales	female	#981	35	High	Verified
2022	England and Wales	female	#785	46	High	Verified
2021	England and Wales	female	#957	36	High	Verified
2020	England and Wales	female	#941	37	High	Verified
2019	England and Wales	female	#1095	31	High	Verified
2018	England and Wales	female	#952	38	High	Verified
2017	England and Wales	female	#889	43	High	Verified
2016	England and Wales	female	#768	51	High	Verified
2015	England and Wales	female	#708	56	High	Verified
2014	England and Wales	female	#699	56	High	Verified
2013	England and Wales	female	#982	37	High	Verified
2012	England and Wales	female	#812	47	High	Verified
2011	England and Wales	female	#702	55	High	Verified
2010	England and Wales	female	#559	71	High	Verified
2009	England and Wales	female	#438	95	High	Verified
2008	England and Wales	female	#363	121	High	Verified
2007	England and Wales	female	#265	183	High	Verified
2006	England and Wales	female	#213	225	High	Verified
2005	England and Wales	female	#190	266	High	Verified
2004	England and Wales	female	#183	272	High	Verified
2003	England and Wales	female	#164	295	High	Verified
2002	England and Wales	female	#140	322	High	Verified
2001	England and Wales	female	#120	394	High	Verified
2000	England and Wales	female	#129	364	High	Verified
1999	England and Wales	female	#120	409	High	Verified
1998	England and Wales	female	#102	509	High	Verified
1997	England and Wales	female	#78	645	High	Verified
1996	England and Wales	female	#78	713	High	Verified
1986	New South Wales, Australia	female	#97	77	Insufficient	Not yet available
1984	New South Wales, Australia	female	#89	86	Insufficient	Not yet available
1983	New South Wales, Australia	female	#91	82	Insufficient	Not yet available
1969	New South Wales, Australia	female	#94	90	Insufficient	Not yet available
1968	New South Wales, Australia	female	#93	90	Insufficient	Not yet available
1967	New South Wales, Australia	female	#83	99	Insufficient	Not yet available
1966	New South Wales, Australia	female	#90	83	Insufficient	Not yet available
1965	New South Wales, Australia	female	#74	103	Insufficient	Not yet available
1964	New South Wales, Australia	female	#70	110	Insufficient	Not yet available
1963	New South Wales, Australia	female	#70	129	Insufficient	Not yet available
1962	New South Wales, Australia	female	#66	143	Insufficient	Not yet available
1961	New South Wales, Australia	female	#70	142	Insufficient	Not yet available
1960	New South Wales, Australia	female	#61	150	Insufficient	Not yet available
1959	New South Wales, Australia	female	#52	184	Insufficient	Not yet available
1958	New South Wales, Australia	female	#57	156	Insufficient	Not yet available
1957	New South Wales, Australia	female	#53	169	Insufficient	Not yet available
1956	New South Wales, Australia	female	#49	181	Insufficient	Not yet available
1955	New South Wales, Australia	female	#45	211	Insufficient	Not yet available
1954	New South Wales, Australia	female	#44	206	Insufficient	Not yet available
1953	New South Wales, Australia	female	#49	199	Insufficient	Not yet available
1952	New South Wales, Australia	female	#45	199	Insufficient	Not yet available
1983	New Zealand	female	#94	54	High	Verified
1979	New Zealand	female	#96	56	High	Verified
1978	New Zealand	female	#83	61	High	Verified
1977	New Zealand	female	#96	57	High	Verified
1976	New Zealand	female	#86	64	High	Verified
1975	New Zealand	female	#93	60	High	Verified
1974	New Zealand	female	#81	72	High	Verified
1973	New Zealand	female	#77	82	High	Verified
1972	New Zealand	female	#77	79	High	Verified
1971	New Zealand	female	#69	94	High	Verified
1970	New Zealand	female	#75	89	High	Verified
1969	New Zealand	female	#46	139	High	Verified
1968	New Zealand	female	#54	125	High	Verified
1967	New Zealand	female	#46	138	High	Verified
1966	New Zealand	female	#41	164	High	Verified
1965	New Zealand	female	#35	193	High	Verified
1964	New Zealand	female	#44	168	High	Verified
1963	New Zealand	female	#31	219	High	Verified
1962	New Zealand	female	#28	232	High	Verified
1961	New Zealand	female	#29	235	High	Verified
1960	New Zealand	female	#28	253	High	Verified
1959	New Zealand	female	#23	267	High	Verified
1958	New Zealand	female	#26	236	High	Verified
1957	New Zealand	female	#18	296	High	Verified
1956	New Zealand	female	#17	317	High	Verified
1955	New Zealand	female	#15	329	High	Verified
1954	New Zealand	female	#20	272	High	Verified
2007	Northern Ireland	female	#351	4	High	Verified
2006	Northern Ireland	female	#332	4	High	Verified
2005	Northern Ireland	female	#193	9	High	Verified
2004	Northern Ireland	female	#212	7	High	Verified
2003	Northern Ireland	female	#166	10	High	Verified
2002	Northern Ireland	female	#286	4	High	Verified
2001	Northern Ireland	female	#176	9	High	Verified
2000	Northern Ireland	female	#184	8	High	Verified
1999	Northern Ireland	female	#197	8	High	Verified
1998	Northern Ireland	female	#197	8	High	Verified
1997	Northern Ireland	female	#172	11	High	Verified
2025	Republic of Ireland	female	#325	12	High	Verified
2024	Republic of Ireland	female	#898	3	High	Verified
2023	Republic of Ireland	female	#404	9	High	Verified
2022	Republic of Ireland	female	#317	13	High	Verified
2021	Republic of Ireland	female	#336	12	High	Verified
2020	Republic of Ireland	female	#410	9	High	Verified
2019	Republic of Ireland	female	#362	11	High	Verified
2018	Republic of Ireland	female	#244	19	High	Verified
2017	Republic of Ireland	female	#324	13	High	Verified
2016	Republic of Ireland	female	#302	15	High	Verified
2015	Republic of Ireland	female	#276	18	High	Verified
2014	Republic of Ireland	female	#373	12	High	Verified
2013	Republic of Ireland	female	#424	10	High	Verified
2012	Republic of Ireland	female	#280	18	High	Verified
2011	Republic of Ireland	female	#266	19	High	Verified
2010	Republic of Ireland	female	#255	21	High	Verified
2009	Republic of Ireland	female	#263	19	High	Verified
2008	Republic of Ireland	female	#148	41	High	Verified
2007	Republic of Ireland	female	#99	61	High	Verified
2006	Republic of Ireland	female	#91	63	High	Verified
2005	Republic of Ireland	female	#97	61	High	Verified
2004	Republic of Ireland	female	#120	41	High	Verified
2003	Republic of Ireland	female	#83	61	High	Verified
2002	Republic of Ireland	female	#93	53	High	Verified
2001	Republic of Ireland	female	#103	47	High	Verified
2000	Republic of Ireland	female	#128	32	High	Verified
1999	Republic of Ireland	female	#131	30	High	Verified
1998	Republic of Ireland	female	#94	39	High	Verified
1997	Republic of Ireland	female	#104	50	High	Verified
1996	Republic of Ireland	female	#87	62	High	Verified
1995	Republic of Ireland	female	#103	52	High	Verified
1994	Republic of Ireland	female	#134	40	High	Verified
1993	Republic of Ireland	female	#121	44	High	Verified
1992	Republic of Ireland	female	#111	51	High	Verified
1991	Republic of Ireland	female	#112	53	High	Verified
1990	Republic of Ireland	female	#122	44	High	Verified
1989	Republic of Ireland	female	#158	31	High	Verified
1988	Republic of Ireland	female	#143	39	High	Verified
1987	Republic of Ireland	female	#164	31	High	Verified
1986	Republic of Ireland	female	#151	38	High	Verified
1985	Republic of Ireland	female	#141	41	High	Verified
1984	Republic of Ireland	female	#197	27	High	Verified
1983	Republic of Ireland	female	#219	21	High	Verified
1982	Republic of Ireland	female	#236	20	High	Verified
1981	Republic of Ireland	female	#225	22	High	Verified
1980	Republic of Ireland	female	#208	26	High	Verified
1979	Republic of Ireland	female	#207	26	High	Verified
1978	Republic of Ireland	female	#226	21	High	Verified
1977	Republic of Ireland	female	#215	22	High	Verified
1976	Republic of Ireland	female	#188	30	High	Verified
1975	Republic of Ireland	female	#228	18	High	Verified
1974	Republic of Ireland	female	#195	28	High	Verified
1973	Republic of Ireland	female	#207	25	High	Verified
1972	Republic of Ireland	female	#180	30	High	Verified
1971	Republic of Ireland	female	#243	14	High	Verified
1970	Republic of Ireland	female	#188	25	High	Verified
1969	Republic of Ireland	female	#191	23	High	Verified
1968	Republic of Ireland	female	#189	21	High	Verified
1967	Republic of Ireland	female	#177	21	High	Verified
1966	Republic of Ireland	female	#164	25	High	Verified
1965	Republic of Ireland	female	#167	22	High	Verified
1964	Republic of Ireland	female	#167	21	High	Verified
2024	Scotland	female	#351	9	High	Verified

England and Wales hub — collected by Office for National Statistics
New South Wales, Australia hub — collected by NSW Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages
New Zealand hub — collected by NZ Department of Internal Affairs
Northern Ireland hub — collected by NISRA
Republic of Ireland hub — collected by CSO Ireland
Scotland hub — collected by National Records of Scotland

See methodology and data sources for how popularity data is collected and what "confidence" means.

What the record shows

Recorded by 6 registrars between 1952 and 2025, ranked in 74 years of that period.

Its highest recorded position is #15, first reached in 1955.

It held a top-100 place in 39 years, 28 of them consecutive.

Its largest count from any one registrar is 713 births, registered in England and Wales in 1996.

A second registrar first ranked it in 1954, and 72 years separate the first registrar to record it from the last.

Every figure here is counted from the seven official registrars Namewise holds. A position is only ever a place within the list that published it, and a record that thins or stops is a fact about what registrars printed — never about how many children received the name.

Where to go next

Records with a comparable body of evidence, so the catalogue can be read outward from this one. Each group states the rule it was selected by.

Next in the catalogue

The records either side of this one alphabetically.

Haziq · #2125, 25y
Heath · #87, 31y
Heaven · #718, 29y
Heavenly · #1457, 15y

A comparable record

Records held by the same 6 registrars, over a similar number of ranked years, whose highest position is closest to this one. A similar body of evidence — never a claim that the names themselves are alike.

Garry · #15, 71y
Glenn · #16, 75y
Phillip · #14, 74y
Dean · #13, 70y

Also first recorded in the 1950s

Records whose earliest ranking in Namewise's registrar data also falls between 1950 and 1959.

Brett · #15, 68y
Bruce · #15, 61y
Gail · #15, 47y
Garry · #15, 71y

Comparisons involving Heather

Existing comparison pages where Heather and another name were ranked in the same published list, in the same years, on the same scale. Each has its own evidence; none of them says the names are alike.

Longest shared records

Names ranked alongside Heather in the same published list across at least 25 years.

Heather vs Rachael
In 1996 they stood at #78 and #77 in England and Wales · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2024 they were #826 and #3318.
Heather · Rachael · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2024 England and Wales ranking
Nicola vs Heather
In 1996 they stood at #87 and #78 in England and Wales · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2024 they were #2253 and #826.
Nicola · Heather · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2024 England and Wales ranking
Leanne vs Heather
In 1996 they stood at #88 and #78 in England and Wales · Girls, 10 places apart; by 2024 they were #2115 and #826.
Leanne · Heather · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2024 England and Wales ranking

Closest long-running positions

Names that stayed close to Heather within one registrar's list over many years. A gap measured inside that list, never across registrars.

Heather vs Diane
Across 20 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Heather and Diane averaged 6.5 places apart, ending at #77 and #82.
Heather · Diane · 20 shared years, 1954–1973 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1973 New Zealand ranking
Patricia vs Heather
Across 23 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Patricia and Heather averaged 8.1 places apart, ending at #85 and #83.
Patricia · Heather · 23 shared years, 1954–1978 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1978 New Zealand ranking
Margaret vs Heather
Across 23 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Margaret and Heather averaged 9.3 places apart, ending at #88 and #86.
Margaret · Heather · 23 shared years, 1954–1976 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1976 New Zealand ranking

Order changes

Pairs where Heather and another name exchanged position in a published list, taken as the final meaningful change.

Megan vs Heather
In New Zealand · Girls, Megan moved into the top 50 at #27 in 1968 as Heather fell out of it to #54, having been #46 the year before.
Megan · Heather · 19 shared years, 1962–1983 · One took the other's place near the top
See the 1968 New Zealand ranking

Compared inside New Zealand lists

Pairs involving Heather measured in New Zealand's own published lists — the registrar that recorded Heather at its highest position.

Karen vs Heather
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Karen #1 in 1957, Heather #15 in 1955.
Karen · Heather · 27 shared years, 1954–1983 · Peaked in the same years
See the 1957 New Zealand ranking
Heather vs Denise
Across 20 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Heather and Denise averaged 9.7 places apart, ending at #77 and #86.
Heather · Denise · 20 shared years, 1954–1973 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1973 New Zealand ranking
Mary vs Heather
Across 27 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Mary and Heather averaged 10.1 places apart, ending at #81 and #94.
Mary · Heather · 27 shared years, 1954–1983 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1983 New Zealand ranking

New Zealand overview→

Heather was ranked #15 in New Zealand · Girls in 1955. These are the names immediately either side of it on that published list — a fact about the registrar's own output, not a similarity judgement.

Heather and the names beside it

Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale, in the same year, by the same registrar — so these are positions that genuinely passed each other, not a similarity judgement. Drawn from the 2,573 names with a recorded popularity standing (common, familiar, uncommon), so a name outside that set could have passed Heather without appearing here.

Heather moved ahead of

Shannon Compare
In 2019 they stood at #1095 and #1063 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2020 that had become #941 and #1846.
Audrey Compare
In 2024 they stood at #898 and #898 in Republic of Ireland · Girls; by 2025 that had become #325 and #885.
Teresa Compare
In 2024 they stood at #898 and #631 in Republic of Ireland · Girls; by 2025 that had become #325 and #885.
Rachael Compare
In 2013 they stood at #982 and #982 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2014 that had become #699 and #1204.

Moved ahead of Heather

Harper Compare
In 2011 they stood at #702 and #858 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2012 that had become #812 and #284.
Mila Compare
In 2010 they stood at #559 and #616 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2011 that had become #702 and #261.
Deborah Compare
In 2022 they stood at #785 and #857 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2023 that had become #981 and #657.
Lisa Compare
In 2022 they stood at #785 and #910 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2023 that had become #981 and #734.

Moved the opposite way to Heather

Annie Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Heather went from #167 to #325 while Annie went from #112 to #33.
Hannah Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Heather went from #167 to #325 while Hannah went from #91 to #21.
Sadie Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Heather went from #167 to #325 while Sadie went from #372 to #5.
Tara Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Heather went from #167 to #325 while Tara went from #327 to #166.

Moved the same way as Heather

Audrey Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Heather went from #167 to #325 and Audrey from #85 to #885.
Eileen Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Heather went from #167 to #325 and Eileen from #17 to #443.
Ida Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Heather went from #167 to #325 and Ida from #372 to #885.
Julia Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Heather went from #167 to #325 and Julia from #42 to #118.

What's not yet available

Meaning
Origin
Pronunciation
Nicknames and spelling variants

Absence from this list does not mean the name isn't genuinely meaningful or widely used — only that Namewise hasn't sourced and reviewed that content yet. Absence from a specific year or geography above does not prove zero use there either; official statistics only publish names above a minimum threshold.

Official popularity data is available for 6 regions, from 1952 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #15 in New Zealand in 1955. Source data last verified 2026-07-21.

Heather

Heather at a glance

What stands out in Heather's record

What the data shows

Popularity journey

Heather across 5 official records

Heather by decade in Republic of Ireland · Girls

Heather appears in

Popularity data

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1950s

Comparisons involving Heather

Longest shared records

Closest long-running positions

Order changes

Compared inside New Zealand lists

Names published alongside Heather

Heather and the names beside it

Heather moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Heather

Moved the opposite way to Heather

Moved the same way as Heather

Heather at a glance

What stands out in Heather's record

Heather across 5 official records

Heather by decade in Republic of Ireland · Girls

Heather appears in

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1950s

Comparisons involving Heather

Longest shared records

Closest long-running positions

Order changes

Compared inside New Zealand lists

Names published alongside Heather

Heather and the names beside it

Heather moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Heather

Moved the opposite way to Heather

Moved the same way as Heather