Ada vs Elsie
Ada and Elsiecompared 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 Elsie #10 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Ada was ranked #18 and Elsie #371 among girls in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #47 and Elsie #27 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #44 and Elsie #31 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ada was ranked #45 and Elsie #55 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Ada was ranked #78 and Elsie #74 among girls in New Zealand.
Ada and Elsie over time
Ada and Elsie appear together in 4 published lists, across 83 years of shared records. Elsie held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Ada in 1.
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.
Ada reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Elsie in 1. 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 2018, Ada moved ahead of Elsie in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #137 and #137 the year before became #70 and #109.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ada and Elsie changed places 4 times in Norway · Girls between 1945 and 2025, ending at #18 and #371.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Ada #36 in 2022, Elsie #10 in 2024.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ada held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Elsie in 29.
Highest recorded here: Ada #36 in 2022, Elsie #10 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ada #40, Elsie #10.
Republic of Ireland · Girls24 shared years, 1964–2025
Ada held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Elsie in 11.
Highest recorded here: Ada #34 in 2023, Elsie #55 in 2025.
The order changed in 2018: Ada moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #137 and #137; by 2018 that had become #70 and #109.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #45, Elsie #55.
Norway · Girls19 shared years, 1945–2025
Ada held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Elsie in 2.
Highest recorded here: Ada #6 in 2023, Elsie #256 in 1947.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #18, Elsie #371.
Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 2013–2024
Ada held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Elsie in 11.
Highest recorded here: Ada #35 in 2023, Elsie #27 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ada #47, Elsie #27.
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 | Elsie |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Shares the root meaning of Elizabeth: 'my God is an oath', inherited via the Scots form Elspeth. |
| Origin | Germanic | Scottish, via Elizabeth |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeɪ.də/ | /ˈɛlsi/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Elspeth |
| 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) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #24 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Ada is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Elsie is recorded with a Scottish, via Elizabeth origin.
- Ada and Elsie both have 2 syllables.
- Ada's recorded meaning differs from Elsie'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 Elsie 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
Elsie
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #301 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: #10 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #24 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls