Amelia vs Emma
Amelia 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, Amelia was ranked #39 and Emma #1 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Amelia was ranked #2 and Emma #69 among girls in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Amelia was ranked #2 and Emma #65 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Amelia was ranked #2 and Emma #67 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Amelia was ranked #7 and Emma #53 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Amelia was ranked #12 and Emma #28 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Amelia was ranked #14 and Emma #84 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Amelia and Emma over time
Amelia and Emma appear together in 7 published lists, across 261 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Amelia in 3.
The order between them changed and held in 5 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 6 of those lists, and Amelia in none. 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 2004, Amelia moved ahead of Emma in England and Wales · Girls — #21 and #19 the year before became #18 and #20.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Amelia and Emma changed places 5 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2025, ending at #12 and #28.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 45 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Amelia and Emma averaged 49.1 places apart, ending at #2 and #69.
- Longest-running competitions
Amelia and Emma were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 45 years, from 1996 to 2024, ending at #2 and #69.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Scotland · Girls within 2 years — Amelia #7 in 2024, Emma #53 in 2024.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls56 shared years, 1964–2025
Amelia held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Emma in 48.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #3 in 2017, Emma #1 in 2003.
The order changed in 2023: Amelia moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #11 and #11; by 2023 that had become #8 and #19.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #12, Emma #28.
England and Wales · Girls45 shared years, 1996–2024
Amelia held the stronger position in 38 of those years, Emma in 7.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #1 in 2011, Emma #13 in 1997.
The order changed in 2004: Amelia moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #21 and #19; by 2004 that had become #18 and #20.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Amelia #2, Emma #69.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls39 shared years, 1985–2025
Amelia held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Emma in 19.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #1 in 2020, Emma #3 in 1988.
The order changed in 2006: Amelia moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #16 and #11; by 2006 that had become #14 and #18.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #2, Emma #65.
New Zealand · Girls38 shared years, 1986–2023
Amelia held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Emma in 25.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #1 in 2019, Emma #1 in 2003.
The order changed in 2011: Amelia moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #13 and #10; by 2011 that had become #10 and #14.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Amelia #2, Emma #67.
Norway · Girls34 shared years, 1972–2025
Amelia held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 34.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #32 in 2019, Emma #1 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #39, Emma #1.
Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2024
Amelia held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Emma in 14.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #4 in 2012, Emma #1 in 2003.
The order changed in 2012: Amelia moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #33 and #16; by 2012 that had become #4 and #17.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Amelia #14, Emma #84.
Scotland · Girls22 shared years, 2024–2024
Amelia held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Emma in 0.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #7 in 2024, Emma #53 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Amelia #7, Emma #53.
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 | Emma |
|---|---|---|
| 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 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 | Latin (influence) | Germanic |
| Pronunciation | /əˈmiːliə/ | /ˈɛm.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 #1 (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 Emma is recorded with a Germanic origin.
- Amelia has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Emma.
- Amelia's recorded meaning differs from Emma'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 Emma 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
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