Ava vs Matilda
Ava and Matildacompared 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 Matilda #27 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ava was ranked #9 and Matilda #31 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ava was ranked #11 and Matilda #148 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Ava was ranked #18 and Matilda #16 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ava was ranked #26 and Matilda #106 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ava was ranked #32 and Matilda #110 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Ava was ranked #143 and Matilda #150 among girls in Norway.
Ava and Matilda over time
Ava and Matilda appear together in 6 published lists, across 135 years of shared records. Ava held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Matilda 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.
Ava reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Matilda 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 2005, Ava moved ahead of Matilda in England and Wales · Girls — #153 and #107 the year before became #82 and #89.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ava and Matilda changed places 6 times in Norway · Girls between 1999 and 2025, ending at #143 and #150.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 22 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Ava and Matilda averaged 10.9 places apart, ending at #18 and #16.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Ava #3 in 2018, Matilda #25 in 2016.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ava held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Matilda in 9.
Highest recorded here: Ava #3 in 2018, Matilda #25 in 2016.
The order changed in 2005: Ava moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #153 and #107; by 2005 that had become #82 and #89.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ava #9, Matilda #31.
Republic of Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1997–2025
Ava held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Matilda in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ava #1 in 2008, Matilda #97 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ava #26, Matilda #106.
Norway · Girls24 shared years, 1999–2025
Ava held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Matilda in 4.
Highest recorded here: Ava #104 in 2020, Matilda #145 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ava #143, Matilda #150.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls22 shared years, 2004–2025
Ava held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Matilda in 1.
Highest recorded here: Ava #3 in 2017, Matilda #8 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ava #18, Matilda #16.
Northern Ireland · Girls20 shared years, 2004–2024
Ava held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Matilda in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ava #9 in 2016, Matilda #91 in 2017.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ava #32, Matilda #110.
New Zealand · Girls14 shared years, 2009–2023
Ava held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Matilda in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ava #5 in 2017, Matilda #20 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Ava #8, Matilda #27.
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 | Matilda |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Meaning debated — no single origin is established with confidence. | Commonly interpreted as 'strength in battle' or 'mighty in battle'. |
| Origin | Disputed — possibly Germanic, possibly a short form of Eve | Germanic |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeɪvə/ | /məˈtɪldə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Tilly, Mathilde |
| 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) | United Kingdom #8 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| 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 Matilda is recorded with a Germanic origin.
- Ava has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Matilda.
- Ava's recorded meaning differs from Matilda'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 Matilda 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
Matilda
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #325 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 recorded2004–2025
Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2022 (recorded 2004–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #16 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls