Ada vs Olivia
Ada and Oliviacompared 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 Olivia #1 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #44 and Olivia #1 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #47 and Olivia #2 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Ada was ranked #18 and Olivia #2 among girls in Norway.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Ada was ranked #78 and Olivia #4 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ada was ranked #45 and Olivia #8 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2008, Ada was ranked #2775 and Olivia #4432 among boys in England and Wales.
Ada and Olivia over time
Ada and Olivia appear together in 4 published lists, across 113 years of shared records. Olivia held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Ada in 1.
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.
Ada reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Olivia in 1. 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 2008, Olivia moved ahead of Ada in Norway · Girls — #60 and #81 the year before became #76 and #61.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 42 shared years in Norway · Girls, Ada and Olivia averaged 58.8 places apart, ending at #18 and #2.
- Longest-running competitions
Ada and Olivia were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 42 years, from 1975 to 2025, ending at #18 and #2.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Ada #35 in 2023, Olivia #2 in 2024.
List by list
Norway · Girls42 shared years, 1975–2025
Ada held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Olivia in 19.
Highest recorded here: Ada #6 in 2019, Olivia #2 in 2023.
The order changed in 2008: Olivia moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #60 and #81; by 2008 that had become #76 and #61.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #18, Olivia #2.
Republic of Ireland · Girls31 shared years, 1964–2025
Ada held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Olivia in 31.
Highest recorded here: Ada #34 in 2023, Olivia #7 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #45, Olivia #8.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ada held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Olivia in 29.
Highest recorded here: Ada #36 in 2022, Olivia #1 in 2008.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ada #40, Olivia #1.
Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 2013–2024
Ada held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Olivia in 11.
Highest recorded here: Ada #35 in 2023, Olivia #2 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ada #47, Olivia #2.
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 | Olivia |
|---|---|---|
| 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 interpreted as 'olive tree' or 'symbol of peace'. |
| Origin | Germanic | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeɪ.də/ | /əˈlɪviə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Olivea, Liv, Livvy, Oliwia |
| 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 #2 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Ada is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Olivia is recorded with a Latin origin.
- Ada has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Olivia.
- Ada's recorded meaning differs from Olivia's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Ada a "medium" Data Confidence level and Olivia a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
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
Olivia
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #488 among girls in Norway in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2008 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #3 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls