Ava vs Sophia
Ava and Sophiacompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Ava was ranked #18 and Sophia #6 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ava was ranked #11 and Sophia #6 among girls in Scotland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Ava was ranked #8 and Sophia #29 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ava was ranked #32 and Sophia #8 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ava was ranked #9 and Sophia #13 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ava was ranked #26 and Sophia #14 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Ava was ranked #143 and Sophia #88 among girls in Norway.
Ava and Sophia over time
Ava and Sophia appear together in 6 published lists, across 169 years of shared records. Ava held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Sophia in 2.
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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 3 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2015, Ava moved ahead of Sophia in New Zealand · Girls — #12 and #9 the year before became #15 and #19.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ava and Sophia changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Girls between 2003 and 2023, ending at #8 and #29.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Ava and Sophia averaged 9.1 places apart, ending at #18 and #6.
- Longest-running competitions
Ava and Sophia were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 45 years, from 1978 to 2025, ending at #26 and #14.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Ava #3 in 2018, Sophia #7 in 2019.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls45 shared years, 1978–2025
Ava held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Sophia in 17.
Highest recorded here: Ava #1 in 2008, Sophia #13 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ava #26, Sophia #14.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ava held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Sophia in 12.
Highest recorded here: Ava #3 in 2018, Sophia #7 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ava #9, Sophia #13.
Norway · Girls26 shared years, 1999–2025
Ava held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophia in 26.
Highest recorded here: Ava #104 in 2020, Sophia #59 in 2014.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ava #143, Sophia #88.
Northern Ireland · Girls25 shared years, 1998–2024
Ava held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Sophia in 15.
Highest recorded here: Ava #9 in 2016, Sophia #4 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ava #32, Sophia #8.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls23 shared years, 2003–2025
Ava held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Sophia in 4.
Highest recorded here: Ava #3 in 2017, Sophia #6 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ava #18, Sophia #6.
New Zealand · Girls21 shared years, 2003–2023
Ava held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Sophia in 5.
Highest recorded here: Ava #5 in 2017, Sophia #9 in 2012.
The order changed in 2015: Ava moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #12 and #9; by 2015 that had become #15 and #19.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Ava #8, Sophia #29.
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 | Sophia |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Meaning debated — no single origin is established with confidence. | Wisdom. |
| Origin | Disputed — possibly Germanic, possibly a short form of Eve | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeɪvə/ | /soʊˈfiə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Sophie, Sofia |
| 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 #6 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| 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 Sophia is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Ava and Sophia both have 2 syllables.
- Ava's recorded meaning differs from Sophia'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 Sophia 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
Sophia
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 recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2011 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #6 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls