Ada vs Amelia
Ada and Ameliacompared 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.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #40 and Amelia #2 among girls in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Ada was ranked #78 and Amelia #2 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #44 and Amelia #7 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ada was ranked #45 and Amelia #12 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #47 and Amelia #14 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Ada was ranked #18 and Amelia #39 among girls in Norway.
Ada and Amelia over time
Ada and Amelia appear together in 4 published lists, across 105 years of shared records. Amelia held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Ada in 1.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Amelia reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Ada and Amelia were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 35 years, from 1967 to 2025, ending at #18 and #39.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Girls within 2 years — Ada #6 in 2019, Amelia #32 in 2019.
List by list
Norway · Girls35 shared years, 1967–2025
Ada held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Amelia in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ada #6 in 2019, Amelia #32 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #18, Amelia #39.
Republic of Ireland · Girls30 shared years, 1964–2025
Ada held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Amelia in 30.
Highest recorded here: Ada #34 in 2023, Amelia #3 in 2017.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #45, Amelia #12.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ada held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Amelia in 29.
Highest recorded here: Ada #36 in 2022, Amelia #1 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ada #40, Amelia #2.
Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 2013–2024
Ada held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Amelia in 11.
Highest recorded here: Ada #35 in 2023, Amelia #6 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ada #47, Amelia #14.
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 | Amelia |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| 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. | Commonly interpreted as 'work' or 'industrious', with usage strongly influenced by the separate Roman name Aemilia. |
| Origin | Germanic | Latin (influence) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeɪ.də/ | /əˈmiːliə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Amelie, Amalia, Amy, Mia |
| 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) | United Kingdom #1 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Ada is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Amelia is recorded with a Latin (influence) origin.
- Ada has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Amelia.
- Ada's recorded meaning differs from Amelia's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Ada a "medium" Data Confidence level and Amelia a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
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
Amelia
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #300 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — 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: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2011 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls