Namewise

Ada vs Emily

Ada and Emilycompared 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.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Ada was ranked #47 and Emily #5 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Ada was ranked #45 and Emily #6 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Ada was ranked #44 and Emily #7 among girls in Scotland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Ada was ranked #18 and Emily #71 among girls in Norway.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2023, Ada was ranked #78 and Emily #30 among girls in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Ada was ranked #40 and Emily #44 among girls in England and Wales.

Ada and Emily over time

Ada and Emily appear together in 4 published lists, across 120 years of shared records. Emily 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.

Emily 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.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls48 shared years, 1969–2025

    Ada held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Emily in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Ada #6 in 2019, Emily #47 in 2014.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #18, Emily #71.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls31 shared years, 1964–2025

    Ada held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emily in 31.

    Highest recorded here: Ada #34 in 2023, Emily #1 in 2011.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #45, Emily #6.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Ada #36 in 2022, Emily #1 in 2003.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #40, Emily #44.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 2013–2024

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

    Highest recorded here: Ada #35 in 2023, Emily #1 in 2013.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Ada #47, Emily #5.

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 Emily

Pairs where Emily 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, Emily
FieldAdaEmily
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.Rival, striving, eager (traditional interpretation of the Latin root).
OriginGermanicLatin, from the Roman family name Aemilia
Pronunciation/ˈeɪ.də//ˈɛməli/
Syllables23
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedEm, Emmy, Emilie, Amelia, Aemilia
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)Republic of Ireland · Girls #6 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Ada is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Emily is recorded with a Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia origin.
  • Ada has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Emily.
  • Ada's recorded meaning differs from Emily'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 Emily 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

  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

Emily

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #180 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

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2003 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #44 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls