Namewise

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 2025, Ada was ranked #40 and Maria #88 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 146 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 England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #40 and #88.

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 · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Ada held the stronger position in 8 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, 2025: Ada #40, Maria #88.

  • 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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Ada

Pairs where Ada shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Maria

Pairs where Maria shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from Norway lists

Pairs measured inside Norway's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Norway overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Ada, Maria
FieldAdaMaria
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.The Latin form of Greek Maria, from Hebrew Miryam (see Mary).
OriginGermanicBiblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission
Pronunciation/ˈeɪ.də//mɑ.ˈriː.ɑ/
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, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #18 (2025)Norway · Girls #62 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

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

  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 #40 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Maria

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Norway, in 1982 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #88 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls