Namewise

Ada vs Ella

Ada and Ellacompared 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 Ella #4 among girls in Norway.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2023, Ada was ranked #78 and Ella #9 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Ada was ranked #44 and Ella #9 among girls in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Ada was ranked #47 and Ella #12 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Ada was ranked #45 and Ella #17 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Ada was ranked #40 and Ella #46 among girls in England and Wales.

Ada and Ella over time

Ada and Ella appear together in 4 published lists, across 137 years of shared records. Ella held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Ada in 0.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Ella 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.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2025, Ada moved ahead of Ella in England and Wales · Girls — #40 and #39 the year before became #40 and #46.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Ada and Ella changed places 14 times in Norway · Girls between 1945 and 2025, ending at #18 and #4.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Ada and Ella were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #40 and #46.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Girls within 2 years — Ada #6 in 2019, Ella #3 in 2019.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls70 shared years, 1945–2025

    Ada held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Ella in 48.

    Highest recorded here: Ada #6 in 2019, Ella #3 in 2019.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #18, Ella #4.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Ada held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Ella in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Ada #36 in 2022, Ella #6 in 2015.

    The order changed in 2025: Ada moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #40 and #39; by 2025 that had become #40 and #46.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #40, Ella #46.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1982–2025

    Ada held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Ella in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Ada #34 in 2023, Ella #3 in 2007.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #45, Ella #17.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 2013–2024

    Ada held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Ella in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Ada #35 in 2023, Ella #2 in 2015.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Ada #47, Ella #12.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Ada

Pairs where Ada shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Ella

Pairs where Ella shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from Norway lists

Pairs measured inside Norway's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Norway overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Ada, Ella
FieldAdaElla
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningA 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.A diminutive of Eleanor, Ellen and other names beginning with 'El-', also used as a short form of names ending in '-ella'. Widely used across Scandinavian and Germanic languages as well as English.
OriginGermanicGermanic, diminutive form
Pronunciation/ˈeɪ.də//ˈɛl.ə/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #18 (2025)Norway · Girls #4 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Ada is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Ella is recorded with a Germanic, diminutive form origin.
  • Ada and Ella both have 2 syllables.
  • Ada's recorded meaning differs from Ella's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Ada

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #6 among girls in Norway, in 2019 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #40 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Ella

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #137 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1993–2023

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 2007 (recorded 1993–2023).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #46 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls