Amy vs Emma
Amy 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, Amy was ranked #457 and Emma #1 among girls in Norway.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2012, Amy was ranked #82 and Emma #13 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2012, Amy was ranked #90 and Emma #17 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Amy was ranked #138 and Emma #28 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Amy was ranked #275 and Emma #53 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Amy was ranked #363 and Emma #69 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Amy was ranked #253 and Emma #84 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Amy and Emma over time
Amy and Emma appear together in 6 published lists, across 236 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Amy in 0.
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.
Amy reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Emma in 2. 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 took the other's place near the top
In England and Wales · Girls, Emma moved into the top 50 at #49 in 2011 as Amy fell out of it to #51, having been #38 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2011, Emma moved ahead of Amy in England and Wales · Girls — #38 and #48 the year before became #51 and #49.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Amy and Emma changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1975 and 2012, ending at #90 and #17.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 37 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Amy and Emma averaged 14.1 places apart, ending at #90 and #17.
- Longest-running competitions
Amy and Emma were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 37 years, from 1975 to 2012, ending at #90 and #17.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Amy #9 in 1996, Emma #13 in 1997.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #9 and #14 in England and Wales · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2024 they were #363 and #69.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls60 shared years, 1965–2025
Amy held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 60.
Highest recorded here: Amy #4 in 2004, Emma #1 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amy #138, Emma #28.
Norway · Girls44 shared years, 1970–2025
Amy held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 44.
Highest recorded here: Amy #269 in 2008, Emma #1 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amy #457, Emma #1.
New Zealand · Girls38 shared years, 1975–2012
Amy held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Emma in 34.
Highest recorded here: Amy #4 in 1984, Emma #1 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Amy #82, Emma #13.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls37 shared years, 1975–2012
Amy held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Emma in 30.
Highest recorded here: Amy #7 in 1983, Emma #3 in 1988.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Amy #90, Emma #17.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Amy held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Emma in 15.
Highest recorded here: Amy #9 in 1996, Emma #13 in 1997.
The order changed in 2011: Emma moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #38 and #48; by 2011 that had become #51 and #49.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Amy #363, Emma #69.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Amy held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 28.
Highest recorded here: Amy #4 in 1998, Emma #1 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Amy #253, Emma #84.
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 | Emma |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | 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 | Not yet recorded | Germanic |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛm.ə/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | 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 | Republic of Ireland · Girls #138 (2025) | Norway · Girls #1 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Emma has a recorded origin (Germanic); Amy does not have one recorded yet.
- Amy and Emma both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Emma; Amy doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
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
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