Ada vs Harper
Ada and Harpercompared 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.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Ada was ranked #78 and Harper #5 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #44 and Harper #21 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #40 and Harper #22 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ada was ranked #45 and Harper #54 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #47 and Harper #84 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2021, Ada was ranked #4789 and Harper #939 among boys in England and Wales.
Ada and Harper over time
Ada and Harper appear together in 3 published lists, across 49 years of shared records. Harper held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Ada in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Harper reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Ada 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 2022, Ada moved ahead of Harper in Northern Ireland · Girls — #55 and #38 the year before became #37 and #44.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Ada #36 in 2022, Harper #22 in 2023.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls23 shared years, 2001–2024
Ada held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Harper in 13.
Highest recorded here: Ada #36 in 2022, Harper #22 in 2023.
The order changed in 2012: Harper moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #386 and #858; by 2012 that had become #384 and #284.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ada #40, Harper #22.
Republic of Ireland · Girls15 shared years, 2009–2025
Ada held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Harper in 6.
Highest recorded here: Ada #34 in 2023, Harper #53 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #45, Harper #54.
Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 2013–2024
Ada held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Harper in 8.
Highest recorded here: Ada #35 in 2023, Harper #38 in 2021.
The order changed in 2022: Ada moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #55 and #38; by 2022 that had become #37 and #44.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ada #47, Harper #84.
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 | Harper |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | An English occupational surname for someone who played or made harps, from Old English 'hearpe'. Popularized as a given name partly through author Harper Lee, who wrote To Kill a Mockingbird. |
| Origin | Germanic | English (occupational surname) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeɪ.də/ | /ˈhɑɹ.pəɹ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #18 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #15 (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 | medium |
What the data shows
- Ada is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Harper is recorded with a English (occupational surname) origin.
- Ada and Harper both have 2 syllables.
- Ada's recorded meaning differs from Harper's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
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
Harper
Popularity journey
First recorded1999
First recorded at #2425 among boys in England and Wales in 1999 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded2012–2023
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New Zealand, in 2017 (recorded 2012–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #15 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls