Ada vs Freya
Ada and Freyacompared 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.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #44 and Freya #3 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #40 and Freya #7 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #47 and Freya #10 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Ada was ranked #18 and Freya #147 among girls in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ada was ranked #45 and Freya #25 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Ada was ranked #78 and Freya #31 among girls in New Zealand.
Ada and Freya over time
Ada and Freya appear together in 4 published lists, across 85 years of shared records. Freya 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.
Ada reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Freya 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.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Ada #36 in 2022, Freya #5 in 2023.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ada held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Freya in 29.
Highest recorded here: Ada #36 in 2022, Freya #5 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ada #40, Freya #7.
Republic of Ireland · Girls25 shared years, 2001–2025
Ada held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Freya in 25.
Highest recorded here: Ada #34 in 2023, Freya #12 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #45, Freya #25.
Norway · Girls20 shared years, 2005–2025
Ada held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Freya in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ada #6 in 2019, Freya #115 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #18, Freya #147.
Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 2013–2024
Ada held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Freya in 11.
Highest recorded here: Ada #35 in 2023, Freya #9 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ada #47, Freya #10.
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 | Freya |
|---|---|---|
| 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 'lady' or 'noblewoman'. |
| Origin | Germanic | Old Norse |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeɪ.də/ | /ˈfreɪə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Freyja, Freja |
| 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) | Scotland · Girls #1 (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 Freya is recorded with a Old Norse origin.
- Ada has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Freya.
- Ada's recorded meaning differs from Freya'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 Freya 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
Freya
Popularity journey
First recorded1987
First recorded at #488 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1987 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded2024–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Scotland, in 2025 (recorded 2024–2025).
Scotland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #49 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls