Namewise

Angela vs Emma

Angela 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 2022, Angela was ranked #437 and Emma #2 among girls in Norway.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1998, Angela was ranked #88 and Emma #5 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2003, Angela was ranked #79 and Emma #7 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Angela was ranked #608 and Emma #28 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Angela was ranked #1198 and Emma #69 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2023, Angela was ranked #391 and Emma #95 among girls in Northern Ireland.

Angela and Emma over time

Angela and Emma appear together in 6 published lists, across 221 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Angela in 0.

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.

Angela reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Emma 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 1978, Emma moved ahead of Angela in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #17 and #18 the year before became #17 and #14.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Angela and Emma changed places 6 times in Norway · Girls between 1947 and 2022, ending at #437 and #2.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 35 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Angela and Emma averaged 39.0 places apart, ending at #79 and #7.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Angela and Emma were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 35 years, from 1969 to 2003, ending at #79 and #7.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Angela #382 in 1996, Emma #13 in 1997.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Angela held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Emma in 53.

    Highest recorded here: Angela #21 in 1965, Emma #1 in 2003.

    The order changed in 1973: Emma moved ahead. In 1972 they stood at #51 and #86; by 1973 that had become #53 and #50.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Angela #608, Emma #28.

  • Norway · Girls56 shared years, 1947–2022

    Angela held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Emma in 46.

    Highest recorded here: Angela #229 in 1959, Emma #1 in 2003.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Angela #437, Emma #2.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls35 shared years, 1969–2003

    Angela held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Emma in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Angela #13 in 1974, Emma #3 in 1988.

    The order changed in 1978: Emma moved ahead. In 1977 they stood at #17 and #18; by 1978 that had become #17 and #14.

    Most recent shared year, 2003: Angela #79, Emma #7.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Angela held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Angela #382 in 1996, Emma #13 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Angela #1198, Emma #69.

  • New Zealand · Girls25 shared years, 1969–1998

    Angela held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Emma in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Angela #3 in 1975, Emma #2 in 1988.

    The order changed in 1980: Emma moved ahead. In 1979 they stood at #5 and #11; by 1980 that had become #11 and #8.

    Most recent shared year, 1998: Angela #88, Emma #5.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls14 shared years, 1997–2023

    Angela held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Angela #248 in 2000, Emma #2 in 1998.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Angela #391, Emma #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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Angela

Pairs where Angela shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Emma

Pairs where Emma shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

Pairs measured inside New Zealand's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1990s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1990 and 1999.

The 1990s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Angela, Emma
FieldAngelaEmma
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedA 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.
OriginNot yet recordedGermanic
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈɛm.ə/
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025)Norway · Girls #1 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Emma has a recorded origin (Germanic); Angela does not have one recorded yet.
  • Angela has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Emma.
  • A meaning is recorded for Emma; Angela doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Angela

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1947

    First recorded at #362 among girls in Norway in 1947 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1954–1998

    Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in New Zealand, in 1975 (recorded 1954–1998).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

Emma

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1969–2023

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 2003 (recorded 1969–2023).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #65 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls