Amelia vs Ella
Amelia and Ellacompared 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.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Amelia was ranked #2 and Ella #39 among girls in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Amelia was ranked #2 and Ella #11 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Amelia was ranked #2 and Ella #9 among girls in New Zealand.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Amelia was ranked #39 and Ella #4 among girls in Norway.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Amelia was ranked #7 and Ella #9 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Amelia was ranked #14 and Ella #12 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Amelia was ranked #12 and Ella #17 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Amelia and Ella over time
Amelia and Ella appear together in 7 published lists, across 216 years of shared records. Ella held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Amelia in 3.
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.
Ella reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Amelia in 2. 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 2008, Amelia moved ahead of Ella in England and Wales · Girls — #10 and #9 the year before became #9 and #12.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Amelia and Ella changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1993 and 2023, ending at #2 and #9.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 38 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Amelia and Ella averaged 14.4 places apart, ending at #2 and #39.
- Longest-running competitions
Amelia and Ella were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 38 years, from 1996 to 2024, ending at #2 and #39.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Girls within 2 years — Amelia #32 in 2019, Ella #3 in 2019.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls43 shared years, 1970–2025
Amelia held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Ella in 26.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #3 in 2017, Ella #3 in 2007.
The order changed in 2022: Amelia moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #11 and #10; by 2022 that had become #11 and #14.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #12, Ella #17.
England and Wales · Girls38 shared years, 1996–2024
Amelia held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Ella in 12.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #1 in 2011, Ella #6 in 2015.
The order changed in 2008: Amelia moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #10 and #9; by 2008 that had become #9 and #12.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Amelia #2, Ella #39.
Norway · Girls35 shared years, 1967–2025
Amelia held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Ella in 34.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #32 in 2019, Ella #3 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #39, Ella #4.
New Zealand · Girls30 shared years, 1993–2023
Amelia held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Ella in 19.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #1 in 2019, Ella #1 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Amelia #2, Ella #9.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls28 shared years, 1998–2025
Amelia held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Ella in 9.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #1 in 2020, Ella #2 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #2, Ella #11.
Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2024
Amelia held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Ella in 22.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #4 in 2012, Ella #2 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Amelia #14, Ella #12.
Scotland · Girls15 shared years, 2024–2024
Amelia held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Ella in 0.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #7 in 2024, Ella #9 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Amelia #7, Ella #9.
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 | Amelia | Ella |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'work' or 'industrious', with usage strongly influenced by the separate Roman name Aemilia. | A diminutive of Eleanor, Ellen and other names beginning with 'El-', also used as a short form of names ending in '-ella'. Widely used across Scandinavian and Germanic languages as well as English. |
| Origin | Latin (influence) | Germanic, diminutive form |
| Pronunciation | /əˈmiːliə/ | /ˈɛl.ə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Amelie, Amalia, Amy, Mia | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | United Kingdom #1 (2025) | Norway · Girls #4 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Amelia is recorded with a Latin (influence) origin, while Ella is recorded with a Germanic, diminutive form origin.
- Amelia has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Ella.
- Amelia's recorded meaning differs from Ella's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Amelia a "high" Data Confidence level and Ella a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Amelia
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #300 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2011 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Ella
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #137 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1993–2023
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 2007 (recorded 1993–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #11 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls