Ada vs Kennedy
Ada and Kennedycompared 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 2022, Ada was ranked #37 and Kennedy #418 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #40 and Kennedy #1449 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #44 and Kennedy #790 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ada was ranked #45 and Kennedy #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2021, Ada was ranked #4789 and Kennedy #3451 among boys in England and Wales.
Ada and Kennedy over time
Ada and Kennedy appear together in 1 published list, across 29 years of shared records. Ada held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Kennedy in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Kennedy 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ada held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Kennedy in 12.
Highest recorded here: Ada #36 in 2022, Kennedy #357 in 1997.
The order changed in 2008: Ada moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #919 and #882; by 2008 that had become #699 and #1206.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ada #40, Kennedy #1449.
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 | Kennedy |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | Used for both boys and girls |
| 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. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Germanic | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeɪ.də/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| 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 |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #18 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #885 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ada has a recorded origin (Germanic); Kennedy does not have one recorded yet.
- Ada has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Kennedy.
- A meaning is recorded for Ada; Kennedy doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
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
Kennedy
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #375 among girls in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Highest recorded1998–2022
Highest recorded position: #351 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 1998 (recorded 1998–2022).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls