Ava vs Isabella
Ava and Isabellacompared 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 Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Ava was ranked #8 and Isabella #15 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ava was ranked #9 and Isabella #11 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ava was ranked #11 and Isabella #50 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Ava was ranked #18 and Isabella #17 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ava was ranked #26 and Isabella #48 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ava was ranked #32 and Isabella #44 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Ava was ranked #143 and Isabella #122 among girls in Norway.
Ava and Isabella over time
Ava and Isabella appear together in 6 published lists, across 160 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Isabella reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Ava 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 moved ahead of the other
In 2019, Ava moved ahead of Isabella in New Zealand · Girls — #10 and #7 the year before became #10 and #14.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ava and Isabella changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Girls between 2003 and 2023, ending at #8 and #15.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Ava and Isabella averaged 12.0 places apart, ending at #18 and #17.
- Longest-running competitions
Ava and Isabella were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 37 years, from 1978 to 2025, ending at #26 and #48.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Ava #3 in 2018, Isabella #6 in 2016.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls37 shared years, 1978–2025
Ava held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Isabella in 2.
Highest recorded here: Ava #1 in 2008, Isabella #41 in 2014.
The order changed in 1997: Ava moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #393 and #316; by 1997 that had become #213 and #363.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ava #26, Isabella #48.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ava held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Isabella in 13.
Highest recorded here: Ava #3 in 2018, Isabella #6 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ava #9, Isabella #11.
Norway · Girls26 shared years, 1999–2025
Ava held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Isabella in 26.
Highest recorded here: Ava #104 in 2020, Isabella #42 in 2010.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ava #143, Isabella #122.
Northern Ireland · Girls24 shared years, 2001–2024
Ava held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Isabella in 1.
Highest recorded here: Ava #9 in 2016, Isabella #27 in 2019.
The order changed in 2002: Ava moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #230 and #165; by 2002 that had become #227 and #339.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ava #32, Isabella #44.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls23 shared years, 2003–2025
Ava held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Isabella in 13.
Highest recorded here: Ava #3 in 2017, Isabella #1 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ava #18, Isabella #17.
New Zealand · Girls21 shared years, 2003–2023
Ava held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Isabella in 13.
Highest recorded here: Ava #5 in 2017, Isabella #4 in 2008.
The order changed in 2019: Ava moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #10 and #7; by 2019 that had become #10 and #14.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Ava #8, Isabella #15.
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 | Ava | Isabella |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Meaning debated — no single origin is established with confidence. | My God is an oath (via Elizabeth). |
| Origin | Disputed — possibly Germanic, possibly a short form of Eve | Spanish/Italian, via Elizabeth |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeɪvə/ | /ˌɪzəˈbɛlə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 4 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Bella, Izzy, Isabel, Isobel |
| 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 | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #18 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #17 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Ava is recorded with a Disputed — possibly Germanic, possibly a short form of Eve origin, while Isabella is recorded with a Spanish/Italian, via Elizabeth origin.
- Ava has 2 syllables, compared with 4 for Isabella.
- Ava's recorded meaning differs from Isabella'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 Ava a "medium" Data Confidence level and Isabella a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Ava
Popularity journey
First recorded1978
First recorded at #522 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1978 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1978–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2008 (recorded 1978–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #18 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Isabella
Popularity journey
First recorded1960
First recorded at #472 among girls in Norway in 1960 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1993–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2007 (recorded 1993–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #17 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls