Ada vs Alice
Ada and Alicecompared 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.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Ada was ranked #18 and Alice #182 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #40 and Alice #49 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ada was ranked #45 and Alice #41 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #44 and Alice #76 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #47 and Alice #57 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Ada was ranked #78 and Alice #68 among girls in New Zealand.
Ada and Alice over time
Ada and Alice appear together in 4 published lists, across 145 years of shared records. Alice held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Ada 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.
Alice reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Ada 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 took the other's place near the top
In Northern Ireland · Girls, Ada moved into the top 50 at #37 in 2022 as Alice fell out of it to #56, having been #45 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2022, Ada moved ahead of Alice in England and Wales · Girls — #44 and #31 the year before became #36 and #38.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ada and Alice changed places 14 times in Norway · Girls between 1945 and 2025, ending at #18 and #182.
- Mirrored each other
Over 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Ada rose about as far as Alice fell — from #2683 and #25 in 1996 to #40 and #49 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
Ada and Alice were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 74 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #18 and #182.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Ada #34 in 2023, Alice #29 in 2022.
List by list
Norway · Girls74 shared years, 1945–2025
Ada held the stronger position in 42 of those years, Alice in 32.
Highest recorded here: Ada #6 in 2019, Alice #123 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #18, Alice #182.
Republic of Ireland · Girls31 shared years, 1964–2025
Ada held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Alice in 29.
Highest recorded here: Ada #34 in 2023, Alice #29 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #45, Alice #41.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ada held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Alice in 26.
Highest recorded here: Ada #36 in 2022, Alice #17 in 2016.
The order changed in 2022: Ada moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #44 and #31; by 2022 that had become #36 and #38.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ada #40, Alice #49.
Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 2013–2024
Ada held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Alice in 8.
Highest recorded here: Ada #35 in 2023, Alice #35 in 2019.
The order changed in 2022: Ada moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #55 and #45; by 2022 that had become #37 and #56.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ada #47, Alice #57.
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 | Ada | Alice |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A short form of Germanic names beginning with 'adal' meaning 'noble', such as Adelaide or Adelina. Notably borne by Ada Lovelace, who assisted Charles Babbage with early computer development. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Germanic | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeɪ.də/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #18 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #41 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ada has a recorded origin (Germanic); Alice does not have one recorded yet.
- Ada has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Alice.
- A meaning is recorded for Ada; Alice doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Ada
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #229 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #6 among girls in Norway, in 2019 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #18 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls
Alice
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #292 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #17 among girls in England and Wales, in 2016 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #76 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls