Amy vs Emily
Amy and Emilycompared 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 2012, Amy was ranked #90 and Emily #3 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2012, Amy was ranked #82 and Emily #3 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Amy was ranked #253 and Emily #5 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Amy was ranked #138 and Emily #6 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Amy was ranked #275 and Emily #7 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Amy was ranked #363 and Emily #34 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Amy was ranked #457 and Emily #71 among girls in Norway.
Amy and Emily over time
Amy and Emily appear together in 6 published lists, across 228 years of shared records. Emily held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Amy in 1.
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.
Amy reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Emily 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 1990, Emily moved ahead of Amy in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #8 and #11 the year before became #9 and #8.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Amy and Emily changed places 6 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1965 and 2025, ending at #138 and #6.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 35 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Amy and Emily averaged 26.7 places apart, ending at #90 and #3.
- Longest-running competitions
Amy and Emily were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 35 years, from 1977 to 2012, ending at #90 and #3.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #9 and #4 in England and Wales · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2024 they were #363 and #34.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls60 shared years, 1965–2025
Amy held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Emily in 31.
Highest recorded here: Amy #4 in 2004, Emily #1 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amy #138, Emily #6.
New Zealand · Girls38 shared years, 1975–2012
Amy held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Emily in 18.
Highest recorded here: Amy #4 in 1984, Emily #3 in 2012.
The order changed in 1995: Emily moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #14 and #17; by 1995 that had become #21 and #9.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Amy #82, Emily #3.
Norway · Girls38 shared years, 1982–2025
Amy held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Emily in 37.
Highest recorded here: Amy #269 in 2008, Emily #47 in 2014.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amy #457, Emily #71.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls35 shared years, 1977–2012
Amy held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Emily in 22.
Highest recorded here: Amy #7 in 1983, Emily #1 in 1998.
The order changed in 1990: Emily moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #8 and #11; by 1990 that had become #9 and #8.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Amy #90, Emily #3.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Amy held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emily in 29.
Highest recorded here: Amy #9 in 1996, Emily #1 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Amy #363, Emily #34.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Amy held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Emily in 18.
Highest recorded here: Amy #4 in 1998, Emily #1 in 2013.
The order changed in 2007: Emily moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #14 and #17; by 2007 that had become #13 and #11.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Amy #253, Emily #5.
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 | Amy | Emily |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Rival, striving, eager (traditional interpretation of the Latin root). |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛməli/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Em, Emmy, Emilie, Amelia, Aemilia |
| 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 | Republic of Ireland · Girls #138 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #6 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Emily has a recorded origin (Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia); Amy does not have one recorded yet.
- Amy has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Emily.
- A meaning is recorded for Emily; Amy doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Amy a "medium" Data Confidence level and Emily a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Amy
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #262 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 recorded1975–2012
Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in New Zealand, in 1984 (recorded 1975–2012).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #457 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls
Emily
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #180 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 2003 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #61 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls