Antonia vs Emma
Antonia 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 2024, Antonia was ranked #483 and Emma #1 among girls in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Antonia was ranked #483 and Emma #28 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2022, Antonia was ranked #305 and Emma #46 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Antonia was ranked #431 and Emma #53 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Antonia was ranked #365 and Emma #69 among girls in England and Wales.
Antonia and Emma over time
Antonia and Emma appear together in 4 published lists, across 122 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Antonia in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 2 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Antonia and Emma were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 55 years, from 1966 to 2025, ending at #483 and #28.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Antonia #189 in 1998, Emma #13 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls55 shared years, 1966–2025
Antonia held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 55.
Highest recorded here: Antonia #244 in 2015, Emma #1 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Antonia #483, Emma #28.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Antonia held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 29.
Highest recorded here: Antonia #189 in 1998, Emma #13 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Antonia #365, Emma #69.
Norway · Girls23 shared years, 1976–2024
Antonia held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 23.
Highest recorded here: Antonia #366 in 1997, Emma #1 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Antonia #483, Emma #1.
Northern Ireland · Girls15 shared years, 1998–2022
Antonia held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 15.
Highest recorded here: Antonia #197 in 1998, Emma #1 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Antonia #305, Emma #46.
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 | Antonia | 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 | Not yet recorded | /ˈɛm.ə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #483 (2025) | Norway · Girls #1 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Emma has a recorded origin (Germanic); Antonia does not have one recorded yet.
- Antonia has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Emma.
- A meaning is recorded for Emma; Antonia doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Antonia
Popularity journey
First recorded1966
First recorded at #344 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1966 — 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: #189 among girls in England and Wales, in 1998 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #483 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · 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