Amelia vs Sophie
Amelia and Sophiecompared 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 Sophie #22 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Amelia was ranked #2 and Sophie #14 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Amelia was ranked #3 and Sophie #63 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Amelia was ranked #12 and Sophie #6 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Amelia was ranked #7 and Sophie #17 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Amelia was ranked #14 and Sophie #14 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Amelia was ranked #39 and Sophie #178 among girls in Norway.
Amelia and Sophie over time
Amelia and Sophie appear together in 7 published lists, across 270 years of shared records. Sophie held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Amelia in 3.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Sophie 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 2011, Amelia moved ahead of Sophie in England and Wales · Girls — #5 and #2 the year before became #1 and #6.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Amelia and Sophie changed places 4 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2024, ending at #14 and #14.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 52 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Amelia and Sophie averaged 33.6 places apart, ending at #3 and #63.
- Longest-running competitions
Amelia and Sophie were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 52 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #3 and #63.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Amelia #4 in 2012, Sophie #1 in 2010.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls52 shared years, 1996–2025
Amelia held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Sophie in 15.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #1 in 2011, Sophie #1 in 1996.
The order changed in 2011: Amelia moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #5 and #2; by 2011 that had become #1 and #6.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #3, Sophie #63.
Republic of Ireland · Girls51 shared years, 1970–2025
Amelia held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Sophie in 44.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #3 in 2017, Sophie #1 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #12, Sophie #6.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls39 shared years, 1985–2025
Amelia held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Sophie in 24.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #1 in 2020, Sophie #5 in 2004.
The order changed in 2012: Amelia moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #8 and #6; by 2012 that had become #7 and #8.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #2, Sophie #22.
New Zealand · Girls38 shared years, 1986–2023
Amelia held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Sophie in 30.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #1 in 2019, Sophie #1 in 2008.
The order changed in 2016: Amelia moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #9 and #4; by 2016 that had become #6 and #9.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Amelia #2, Sophie #14.
Norway · Girls35 shared years, 1967–2025
Amelia held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Sophie in 13.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #32 in 2019, Sophie #106 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #39, Sophie #178.
Scotland · Girls28 shared years, 2024–2024
Amelia held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Sophie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #7 in 2024, Sophie #17 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Amelia #7, Sophie #17.
Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2024
Amelia held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Sophie in 23.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #4 in 2012, Sophie #1 in 2010.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Amelia #14, Sophie #14.
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 | Sophie |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | The French form of Sophia, from Ancient Greek 'sophia' meaning 'wisdom'. |
| Origin | Latin (influence) | Greek, via French transmission |
| Pronunciation | /əˈmiːliə/ | /sɔ.fi/ |
| 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 #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 | medium |
What the data shows
- Amelia is recorded with a Latin (influence) origin, while Sophie is recorded with a Greek, via French transmission origin.
- Amelia has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Sophie.
- Amelia's recorded meaning differs from Sophie'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 Sophie 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 recorded1996–2025
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
Sophie
Popularity journey
First recorded1960
First recorded at #492 among girls in Norway in 1960 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 1996 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #63 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls