Ada vs Thea
Ada and Theacompared 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 Thea #50 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Ada was ranked #40 and Thea #66 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #44 and Thea #65 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ada was ranked #45 and Thea #207 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #47 and Thea #75 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Ada was ranked #78 and Thea #70 among girls in New Zealand.
Ada and Thea over time
Ada and Thea appear together in 4 published lists, across 125 years of shared records. Thea held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Ada in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Thea 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 took the other's place near the top
In England and Wales · Girls, Ada moved into the top 50 at #38 in 2020 as Thea fell out of it to #57, having been #46 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2020, Ada moved ahead of Thea in England and Wales · Girls — #47 and #46 the year before became #38 and #57.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ada and Thea changed places 4 times in Norway · Girls between 1950 and 2025, ending at #18 and #50.
- Longest-running competitions
Ada and Thea were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #40 and #66.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Ada #34 in 2023, Thea #136 in 2021.
List by list
Norway · Girls59 shared years, 1950–2025
Ada held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Thea in 45.
Highest recorded here: Ada #6 in 2019, Thea #1 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #18, Thea #50.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Ada held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Thea in 24.
Highest recorded here: Ada #36 in 2022, Thea #46 in 2019.
The order changed in 2020: Ada moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #47 and #46; by 2020 that had become #38 and #57.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #40, Thea #66.
Republic of Ireland · Girls25 shared years, 2001–2025
Ada held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Thea in 6.
Highest recorded here: Ada #34 in 2023, Thea #136 in 2021.
The order changed in 2015: Ada moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #242 and #229; by 2015 that had become #180 and #244.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #45, Thea #207.
Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 2013–2024
Ada held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Thea in 7.
Highest recorded here: Ada #35 in 2023, Thea #40 in 2019.
The order changed in 2021: Ada moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #78 and #68; by 2021 that had become #55 and #68.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ada #47, Thea #75.
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 | Thea |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | A short form of Dorothea, Theodora, Theresa and other similar-sounding Greek-rooted names. |
| Origin | Germanic | Greek (via Germanic/Scandinavian transmission) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeɪ.də/ | /ˈteː.a/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| 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 #50 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ada is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Thea is recorded with a Greek (via Germanic/Scandinavian transmission) origin.
- Ada has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Thea.
- Ada's recorded meaning differs from Thea'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 #40 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Thea
Popularity journey
First recorded1950
First recorded at #380 among girls in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1950–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Norway, in 2006 (recorded 1950–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #66 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls