Ada vs Maria
Ada and Mariacompared 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 Maria #62 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #40 and Maria #91 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #44 and Maria #120 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ada was ranked #45 and Maria #74 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #47 and Maria #97 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Ada and Maria over time
Ada and Maria appear together in 4 published lists, across 145 years of shared records. Maria held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Ada in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Maria reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 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 Maria in England and Wales · Girls — #114 and #71 the year before became #65 and #66.
- Mirrored each other
Over 31 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Ada rose about as far as Maria fell — from #372 and #33 in 1964 to #45 and #74 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Ada and Maria were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 74 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #18 and #62.
List by list
Norway · Girls74 shared years, 1945–2025
Ada held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Maria in 66.
Highest recorded here: Ada #6 in 2019, Maria #3 in 1982.
The order changed in 2018: Ada moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #24 and #18; by 2018 that had become #7 and #34.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #18, Maria #62.
Republic of Ireland · Girls31 shared years, 1964–2025
Ada held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Maria in 24.
Highest recorded here: Ada #34 in 2023, Maria #23 in 1967.
The order changed in 2019: Ada moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #70 and #61; by 2019 that had become #57 and #63.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #45, Maria #74.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ada held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Maria in 22.
Highest recorded here: Ada #36 in 2022, Maria #66 in 2018.
The order changed in 2018: Ada moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #114 and #71; by 2018 that had become #65 and #66.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ada #40, Maria #91.
Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 2013–2024
Ada held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Maria in 5.
Highest recorded here: Ada #35 in 2023, Maria #72 in 2017.
The order changed in 2019: Ada moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #92 and #75; by 2019 that had become #66 and #89.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ada #47, Maria #97.
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 | Maria |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | The Latin form of Greek Maria, from Hebrew Miryam (see Mary). |
| Origin | Germanic | Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeɪ.də/ | /mɑ.ˈriː.ɑ/ |
| 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, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #18 (2025) | Norway · Girls #62 (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 | medium |
What the data shows
- Ada is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Maria is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission origin.
- Ada and Maria both have 2 syllables.
- Ada's recorded meaning differs from Maria's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, 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
Maria
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #126 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: #3 among girls in Norway, in 1982 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #62 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls