Ada vs Willow
Ada and Willowcompared 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.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Ada was ranked #78 and Willow #6 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #40 and Willow #21 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #44 and Willow #29 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #47 and Willow #44 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ada was ranked #45 and Willow #58 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2021, Ada was ranked #4789 and Willow #3990 among boys in England and Wales.
Ada and Willow over time
Ada and Willow appear together in 3 published lists, across 63 years of shared records. Willow held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Ada 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.
Willow reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Ada 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 took the other's place near the top
In Republic of Ireland · Girls, Ada moved into the top 50 at #45 in 2025 as Willow fell out of it to #58, having been #47 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2025, Ada moved ahead of Willow in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #50 and #47 the year before became #45 and #58.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ada and Willow changed places 5 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 2003 and 2025, ending at #45 and #58.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Ada #36 in 2022, Willow #9 in 2023.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ada held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Willow in 29.
Highest recorded here: Ada #36 in 2022, Willow #9 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ada #40, Willow #21.
Republic of Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 2003–2025
Ada held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Willow in 16.
Highest recorded here: Ada #34 in 2023, Willow #29 in 2021.
The order changed in 2025: Ada moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #50 and #47; by 2025 that had become #45 and #58.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #45, Willow #58.
Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 2013–2024
Ada held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Willow in 10.
Highest recorded here: Ada #35 in 2023, Willow #24 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ada #47, Willow #44.
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 | Willow |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | From the name of the willow tree, ultimately from Old English 'welig' — an English nature/word name. |
| Origin | Germanic | English, a modern nature name from the willow tree |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeɪ.də/ | /ˈwɪl.oʊ/ |
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #18 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #23 (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 | medium |
What the data shows
- Ada is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Willow is recorded with a English, a modern nature name from the willow tree origin.
- Ada and Willow both have 2 syllables.
- Ada's recorded meaning differs from Willow's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, 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
Willow
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #891 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 recorded2010–2023
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in New Zealand, in 2020 (recorded 2010–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #23 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls