Amelia vs Sophia
Amelia and Sophiacompared 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.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Amelia was ranked #2 and Sophia #6 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Amelia was ranked #2 and Sophia #29 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Amelia was ranked #3 and Sophia #13 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Amelia was ranked #7 and Sophia #6 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Amelia was ranked #14 and Sophia #8 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Amelia was ranked #12 and Sophia #14 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Amelia was ranked #39 and Sophia #88 among girls in Norway.
Amelia and Sophia over time
Amelia and Sophia appear together in 7 published lists, across 250 years of shared records. Amelia held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Sophia in 3.
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 3 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2015, Amelia moved ahead of Sophia in Norway · Girls — #64 and #59 the year before became #54 and #68.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Amelia and Sophia changed places 8 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2024, ending at #14 and #8.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 52 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Amelia and Sophia averaged 19.3 places apart, ending at #3 and #13.
- Longest-running competitions
Amelia and Sophia were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 52 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #3 and #13.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Amelia #4 in 2012, Sophia #4 in 2011.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls55 shared years, 1965–2025
Amelia held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Sophia in 28.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #3 in 2017, Sophia #13 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #12, Sophia #14.
England and Wales · Girls52 shared years, 1996–2025
Amelia held the stronger position in 52 of those years, Sophia in 0.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #1 in 2011, Sophia #7 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #3, Sophia #13.
Norway · Girls32 shared years, 1989–2025
Amelia held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Sophia in 13.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #32 in 2019, Sophia #59 in 2014.
The order changed in 2015: Amelia moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #64 and #59; by 2015 that had become #54 and #68.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #39, Sophia #88.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2025
Amelia held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Sophia in 0.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #1 in 2020, Sophia #6 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #2, Sophia #6.
New Zealand · Girls28 shared years, 1995–2023
Amelia held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Sophia in 1.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #1 in 2019, Sophia #9 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Amelia #2, Sophia #29.
Scotland · Girls28 shared years, 2024–2024
Amelia held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophia in 28.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #7 in 2024, Sophia #6 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Amelia #7, Sophia #6.
Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2024
Amelia held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Sophia in 15.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #4 in 2012, Sophia #4 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Amelia #14, Sophia #8.
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 | Sophia |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Wisdom. |
| Origin | Latin (influence) | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /əˈmiːliə/ | /soʊˈfiə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Amelie, Amalia, Amy, Mia | Sophie, Sofia |
| 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) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #6 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | high |
What the data shows
- Amelia is recorded with a Latin (influence) origin, while Sophia is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Amelia has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Sophia.
- Amelia's recorded meaning differs from Sophia's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
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 recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2011 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #3 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Sophia
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #325 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2011 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #13 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls