Namewise

Alma vs Maya

Alma and Mayacompared 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, Alma was ranked #8 and Maya #86 among girls in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Alma was ranked #234 and Maya #15 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Alma was ranked #315 and Maya #19 among girls in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Alma was ranked #226 and Maya #40 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Alma and Maya over time

Alma and Maya appear together in 3 published lists, across 107 years of shared records. Maya held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Alma 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.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.

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.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Alma and Maya changed places 12 times in Norway · Girls between 1965 and 2025, ending at #8 and #86.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Alma and Maya were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 57 years, from 1965 to 2025, ending at #8 and #86.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Alma #228 in 2023, Maya #15 in 2024.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls57 shared years, 19652025

    Alma held the stronger position in 41 of those years, Maya in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Alma #5 in 2023, Maya #66 in 2016.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alma #8, Maya #86.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 19962024

    Alma held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Maya in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Alma #228 in 2023, Maya #15 in 2024.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Alma #234, Maya #15.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 19972025

    Alma held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Maya in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Alma #213 in 2024, Maya #17 in 2024.

    The order changed in 1999: Maya moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #496 and #576; by 1999 that had become #528 and #392.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alma #226, Maya #40.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Alma, Maya
FieldAlmaMaya
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-SCT, IE, NOAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #8 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #40 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Alma has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Maya.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-SCT, IE, NO.

How each name got here

Alma

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #293 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: #5 among girls in Norway, in 2023 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #8 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls

Maya

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1961

    First recorded at #497 among girls in Norway in 1961 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #15 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #53 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls