Ava vs Julia
Ava and Juliacompared 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.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ava was ranked #9 and Julia #223 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ava was ranked #11 and Julia #188 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ava was ranked #26 and Julia #118 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ava was ranked #32 and Julia #212 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Ava was ranked #143 and Julia #85 among girls in Norway.
Ava and Julia over time
Ava and Julia appear together in 4 published lists, across 125 years of shared records. Ava held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Julia 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.
Julia reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Ava 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 2003, Ava moved ahead of Julia in Northern Ireland · Girls — #227 and #188 the year before became #114 and #202.
- Longest-running competitions
Ava and Julia were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 45 years, from 1978 to 2025, ending at #26 and #118.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Ava #1 in 2008, Julia #31 in 2009.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls45 shared years, 1978–2025
Ava held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Julia in 17.
Highest recorded here: Ava #1 in 2008, Julia #31 in 2009.
The order changed in 1998: Ava moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #213 and #200; by 1998 that had become #88 and #152.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ava #26, Julia #118.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ava held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Julia in 5.
Highest recorded here: Ava #3 in 2018, Julia #77 in 2010.
The order changed in 2001: Ava moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #291 and #271; by 2001 that had become #205 and #282.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ava #9, Julia #223.
Norway · Girls26 shared years, 1999–2025
Ava held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Julia in 26.
Highest recorded here: Ava #104 in 2020, Julia #32 in 2013.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ava #143, Julia #85.
Northern Ireland · Girls25 shared years, 1998–2024
Ava held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Julia in 3.
Highest recorded here: Ava #9 in 2016, Julia #68 in 2011.
The order changed in 2003: Ava moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #227 and #188; by 2003 that had become #114 and #202.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ava #32, Julia #212.
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 | Julia |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Meaning debated — no single origin is established with confidence. | The feminine form of the Roman family name Julius — borne by Julia Augusta and Julia the Elder, and by an early Christian martyr and patron saint of Corsica. |
| Origin | Disputed — possibly Germanic, possibly a short form of Eve | The feminine counterpart within the Roman gens Julia, the family name Julius belonged to |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeɪvə/ | /ˈjʉː.lɪ.a/ |
| 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 | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #18 (2025) | Norway · Girls #85 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ava is recorded with a Disputed — possibly Germanic, possibly a short form of Eve origin, while Julia is recorded with a The feminine counterpart within the Roman gens Julia, the family name Julius belonged to origin.
- Ava and Julia both have 2 syllables.
- Ava's recorded meaning differs from Julia's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
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
Julia
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #345 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1970–2001
Highest recorded position: #26 among girls in New Zealand, in 1983 (recorded 1970–2001).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #85 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls