Alma vs Nova

Alma and Novacompared 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 Nova #119 among girls in Norway.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Alma was ranked #315 and Nova #59 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Alma was ranked #234 and Nova #80 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Alma was ranked #226 and Nova #180 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Alma and Nova over time

Alma and Nova appear together in 3 published lists, across 55 years of shared records. Alma held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Nova in 1.

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.

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.

Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Alma #228 in 2023, Nova #80 in 2024.

List by list

England and Wales · Girls23 shared years, 2000–2024
Alma held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Nova in 10.
Highest recorded here: Alma #228 in 2023, Nova #80 in 2024.
The order changed in 2015: Nova moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #629 and #794; by 2015 that had become #609 and #525.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alma #234, Nova #80.
Norway · Girls19 shared years, 2006–2025
Alma held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Nova in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alma #5 in 2023, Nova #88 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alma #8, Nova #119.
Republic of Ireland · Girls13 shared years, 2012–2025
Alma held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Nova in 11.
Highest recorded here: Alma #213 in 2024, Nova #171 in 2024.
The order changed in 2014: Nova moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #677 and #907; by 2014 that had become #661 and #536.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alma #226, Nova #180.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Alma

Pairs where Alma shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Heidi vs Alma
Over 68 shared years in Norway · Girls, Alma rose about as far as Heidi fell — from #188 and #293 in 1945 to #437 and #8 in 2025.
Heidi · Alma · 68 shared years, 1945–2025 · Mirrored each other
See the 2025 Norway ranking
Alma vs Kristin
Over 68 shared years in Norway · Girls, Alma rose about as far as Kristin fell — from #293 and #130 in 1945 to #8 and #251 in 2025.
Alma · Kristin · 68 shared years, 1945–2025 · Mirrored each other
See the 2025 Norway ranking
Alma vs Solveig
Over 68 shared years in Norway · Girls, Alma rose about as far as Solveig fell — from #293 and #14 in 1945 to #8 and #28 in 2025.
Alma · Solveig · 68 shared years, 1945–2025 · Mirrored each other
See the 2025 Norway ranking
Alma vs Hanne
Over 67 shared years in Norway · Girls, Alma rose about as far as Hanne fell — from #293 and #123 in 1945 to #8 and #318 in 2025.
Alma · Hanne · 67 shared years, 1945–2025 · Mirrored each other
See the 2025 Norway ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Alma, Nova
Field	Alma	Nova
Record type	Official statistical record (evidence-only)	Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usage	female	female
Meaning	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Origin	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Pronunciation	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Syllables	2	2
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	GB-ENW, GB-SCT, IE, NO	GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO
Most recent popularity observation	Norway · Girls #8 (2025)	Norway · Girls #119 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	95/100	95/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Alma and Nova both have 2 syllables.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-SCT, IE, NO.

How each name got here

Alma

Popularity journey

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
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in Norway, in 2023 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #8 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls

Nova

Popularity journey

First recorded2000
First recorded at #3912 among girls in England and Wales in 2000 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #119 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls