Abigail vs Elma
Abigail and Elmacompared 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 2008, Abigail was ranked #36 and Elma #862 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Abigail was ranked #154 and Elma #1406 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Abigail was ranked #273 and Elma #288 among girls in Norway.
Abigail and Elma over time
Abigail and Elma appear together in 3 published lists, across 59 years of shared records. Abigail held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Elma in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.
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
Abigail and Elma changed places 8 times in Norway · Girls between 1983 and 2025, ending at #273 and #288.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Girls within 2 years — Abigail #246 in 2022, Elma #224 in 2022.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls22 shared years, 1999–2024
Abigail held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Elma in 0.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #19 in 2000, Elma #1406 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Abigail #154, Elma #1406.
Norway · Girls22 shared years, 1983–2025
Abigail held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Elma in 6.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #246 in 2022, Elma #224 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Abigail #273, Elma #288.
Republic of Ireland · Girls15 shared years, 1972–2008
Abigail held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Elma in 1.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #36 in 2008, Elma #347 in 1983.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Abigail #36, Elma #862.
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 | Abigail | Elma |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| 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, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #55 (2025) | Norway · Girls #288 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Abigail has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Elma.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Abigail
Popularity journey
First recorded1969
First recorded at #303 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1969 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in England and Wales, in 2000 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #55 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Elma
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 recorded1981–2025
Highest recorded position: #224 among girls in Norway, in 2022 (recorded 1981–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #288 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls