Amelia vs Heidi
Amelia and Heidicompared 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 Heidi #107 among girls in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2022, Amelia was ranked #2 and Heidi #99 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2019, Amelia was ranked #3 and Heidi #99 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Amelia was ranked #7 and Heidi #95 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Amelia was ranked #12 and Heidi #91 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Amelia was ranked #14 and Heidi #65 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Amelia was ranked #39 and Heidi #437 among girls in Norway.
Amelia and Heidi over time
Amelia and Heidi appear together in 5 published lists, across 172 years of shared records. Amelia held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Heidi 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.
Amelia reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Heidi 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 2004, Amelia moved ahead of Heidi in Northern Ireland · Girls — #286 and #286 the year before became #155 and #316.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Amelia and Heidi changed places 8 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1968 and 2025, ending at #12 and #91.
- Longest-running competitions
Amelia and Heidi were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 45 years, from 1996 to 2024, ending at #2 and #107.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Amelia #3 in 2017, Heidi #74 in 2019.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls45 shared years, 1996–2024
Amelia held the stronger position in 45 of those years, Heidi in 0.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #1 in 2011, Heidi #76 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Amelia #2, Heidi #107.
Republic of Ireland · Girls45 shared years, 1968–2025
Amelia held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Heidi in 5.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #3 in 2017, Heidi #74 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #12, Heidi #91.
Norway · Girls35 shared years, 1967–2025
Amelia held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Heidi in 14.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #32 in 2019, Heidi #8 in 1967.
The order changed in 2006: Amelia moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #184 and #153; by 2006 that had become #136 and #210.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #39, Heidi #437.
Northern Ireland · Girls25 shared years, 1997–2024
Amelia held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Heidi in 1.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #4 in 2012, Heidi #48 in 2021.
The order changed in 2004: Amelia moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #286 and #286; by 2004 that had become #155 and #316.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Amelia #14, Heidi #65.
Scotland · Girls22 shared years, 2024–2024
Amelia held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Heidi in 0.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #7 in 2024, Heidi #95 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Amelia #7, Heidi #95.
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 | Heidi |
|---|---|---|
| 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 German diminutive of Adelheid. Gained wide recognition through Johanna Spyri's 1880 children's novel Heidi, and its 1937 film adaptation starring Shirley Temple. |
| Origin | Latin (influence) | Germanic, diminutive of Adelheid |
| Pronunciation | /əˈmiːliə/ | /ˈhaɪ̯.di/ |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #91 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| 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 Heidi is recorded with a Germanic, diminutive of Adelheid origin.
- Amelia has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Heidi.
- Amelia's recorded meaning differs from Heidi'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 Heidi 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
Heidi
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #188 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: #2 among girls in Norway, in 1965 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #437 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls