Abigail vs Nova
Abigail and Novacompared 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.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Abigail was ranked #102 and Nova #59 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Abigail was ranked #171 and Nova #68 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Abigail was ranked #80 and Nova #101 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Abigail was ranked #115 and Nova #180 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Abigail was ranked #273 and Nova #119 among girls in Norway.
Abigail and Nova over time
Abigail and Nova appear together in 4 published lists, across 62 years of shared records. Abigail held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Nova 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.
Abigail reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Nova 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 2021, Nova moved ahead of Abigail in England and Wales · Girls — #87 and #144 the year before became #105 and #101.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Girls within 2 years — Abigail #246 in 2022, Nova #88 in 2022.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls24 shared years, 2000–2025
Abigail held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Nova in 5.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #19 in 2000, Nova #68 in 2025.
The order changed in 2021: Nova moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #87 and #144; by 2021 that had become #105 and #101.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Abigail #171, Nova #68.
Norway · Girls17 shared years, 2009–2025
Abigail held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Nova in 14.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #246 in 2022, Nova #88 in 2022.
The order changed in 2013: Nova moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #315 and #365; by 2013 that had become #311 and #217.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Abigail #273, Nova #119.
Republic of Ireland · Girls13 shared years, 2012–2025
Abigail held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Nova in 0.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #50 in 2012, Nova #171 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Abigail #115, Nova #180.
Northern Ireland · Girls8 shared years, 2016–2024
Abigail held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Nova in 0.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #44 in 2016, Nova #101 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Abigail #80, Nova #101.
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 | Nova |
|---|---|---|
| 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, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #55 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #68 (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 Nova.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, 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 recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in England and Wales, in 2000 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #171 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Nova
Popularity journey
First recorded2000
First recorded at #3912 among girls in England and Wales in 2000 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #68 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls