Ada vs Ida
Ada and Idacompared 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 Ida #37 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #40 and Ida #337 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #44 and Ida #384 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ada was ranked #45 and Ida #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #47 and Ida #337 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Ada and Ida over time
Ada and Ida appear together in 4 published lists, across 128 years of shared records. Ada held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Ida 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.
Ida 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 2018, Ada moved ahead of Ida in Norway · Girls — #24 and #13 the year before became #7 and #23.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ada and Ida changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #40 and #337.
- Longest-running competitions
Ada and Ida were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 74 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #18 and #37.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Ada #36 in 2022, Ida #257 in 2021.
List by list
Norway · Girls74 shared years, 1945–2025
Ada held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Ida in 66.
Highest recorded here: Ada #6 in 2019, Ida #1 in 1988.
The order changed in 2018: Ada moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #24 and #13; by 2018 that had become #7 and #23.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #18, Ida #37.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ada held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Ida in 4.
Highest recorded here: Ada #36 in 2022, Ida #257 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ada #40, Ida #337.
Republic of Ireland · Girls17 shared years, 1964–2025
Ada held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Ida in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ada #34 in 2023, Ida #372 in 1964.
The order changed in 2008: Ada moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #508 and #508; by 2008 that had become #430 and #546.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #45, Ida #885.
Northern Ireland · Girls8 shared years, 2016–2024
Ada held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Ida in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ada #35 in 2023, Ida #178 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ada #47, Ida #337.
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 | Ida |
|---|---|---|
| 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 traced to a Germanic element possibly meaning 'work' or 'labour'. |
| Origin | Germanic | Germanic, used across Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and German tradition |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeɪ.də/ | /ˈiːdɑ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #18 (2025) | Norway · Girls #37 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ada is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Ida is recorded with a Germanic, used across Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and German tradition origin.
- Ada and Ida both have 2 syllables.
- Ada's recorded meaning differs from Ida's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
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
Ida
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #204 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: #1 among girls in Norway, in 1988 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #37 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls