Namewise

Ada vs Ivy

Ada and Ivycompared 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 Ivy #5 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Ada was ranked #44 and Ivy #14 among girls in Scotland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2023, Ada was ranked #78 and Ivy #22 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Ada was ranked #47 and Ivy #35 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Ada was ranked #45 and Ivy #50 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Ada and Ivy over time

Ada and Ivy appear together in 3 published lists, across 59 years of shared records. Ivy held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Ada in 1.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Ivy reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 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.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Ada and Ivy changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 2002 and 2025, ending at #45 and #50.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Ada #36 in 2022, Ivy #5 in 2021.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 19962024

    Ada held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Ivy in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Ada #36 in 2022, Ivy #5 in 2021.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Ada #40, Ivy #5.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 20022025

    Ada held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Ivy in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Ada #34 in 2023, Ivy #49 in 2023.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #45, Ivy #50.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 20132024

    Ada held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Ivy in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Ada #35 in 2023, Ivy #26 in 2023.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Ada #47, Ivy #35.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Ada, Ivy
FieldAdaIvy
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.From the English word for the ivy plant.
OriginGermanicEnglish (plant name)
Pronunciation/ˈeɪ.də//ˈaɪvi/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #18 (2025)New South Wales, Australia · Girls #30 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Ada is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Ivy is recorded with a English (plant name) origin.
  • Ada and Ivy both have 2 syllables.
  • Ada's recorded meaning differs from Ivy'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

  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 #18 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls

Ivy

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1972

    First recorded at #471 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1972 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in England and Wales, in 2021 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #30 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls