Agnes vs Emma
Agnes and Emmacompared 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, Agnes was ranked #49 and Emma #1 among girls in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Agnes was ranked #736 and Emma #17 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2016, Agnes was ranked #353 and Emma #25 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Agnes was ranked #476 and Emma #53 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Agnes was ranked #474 and Emma #69 among girls in England and Wales.
Agnes and Emma over time
Agnes and Emma appear together in 3 published lists, across 154 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Agnes in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Emma reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Agnes 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 1970, Emma moved ahead of Agnes in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #129 and #139 the year before became #180 and #93.
- Longest-running competitions
Agnes and Emma were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 75 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #49 and #1.
List by list
Norway · Girls75 shared years, 1945–2025
Agnes held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Emma in 50.
Highest recorded here: Agnes #39 in 2014, Emma #1 in 2003.
The order changed in 1977: Emma moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #280 and #422; by 1977 that had become #448 and #240.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Agnes #49, Emma #1.
Republic of Ireland · Girls50 shared years, 1964–2024
Agnes held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Emma in 44.
Highest recorded here: Agnes #101 in 1964, Emma #2 in 1990.
The order changed in 1970: Emma moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #129 and #139; by 1970 that had become #180 and #93.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Agnes #736, Emma #17.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Agnes held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 29.
Highest recorded here: Agnes #334 in 2015, Emma #13 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Agnes #474, Emma #69.
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 | Agnes | Emma |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | A shortened form of Germanic names beginning with the element 'irmin' ('whole, great'), from Proto-Germanic *ermunaz. Introduced to England by Emma of Normandy, wife of King Ethelred II and later King Canute; further popularised by Jane Austen's 1816 novel Emma. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Germanic |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛm.ə/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #49 (2025) | Norway · Girls #1 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Emma has a recorded origin (Germanic); Agnes does not have one recorded yet.
- Agnes and Emma both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Emma; Agnes doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Agnes
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #128 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: #39 among girls in Norway, in 2014 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #49 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls
Emma
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #342 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1969–2023
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 2003 (recorded 1969–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #65 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls