Ava vs Zoe
Ava and Zoecompared 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 Zoe #24 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ava was ranked #9 and Zoe #99 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ava was ranked #11 and Zoe #76 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Ava was ranked #18 and Zoe #19 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ava was ranked #26 and Zoe #46 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ava was ranked #32 and Zoe #105 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Ava was ranked #143 and Zoe #313 among girls in Norway.
Ava and Zoe over time
Ava and Zoe appear together in 6 published lists, across 168 years of shared records. Ava held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Zoe in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 5 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Zoe reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 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 2006, Ava moved ahead of Zoe in England and Wales · Girls — #82 and #67 the year before became #60 and #74.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Ava and Zoe averaged 10.3 places apart, ending at #18 and #19.
- Mirrored each other
Over 25 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Ava rose about as far as Zoe fell — from #351 and #43 in 1998 to #32 and #105 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
Ava and Zoe were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 45 years, from 1978 to 2025, ending at #26 and #46.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Ava #3 in 2017, Zoe #8 in 2015.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls45 shared years, 1978–2025
Ava held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Zoe in 19.
Highest recorded here: Ava #1 in 2008, Zoe #26 in 2016.
The order changed in 2001: Ava moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #44 and #42; by 2001 that had become #41 and #42.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ava #26, Zoe #46.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ava held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Zoe in 10.
Highest recorded here: Ava #3 in 2018, Zoe #31 in 1996.
The order changed in 2006: Ava moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #82 and #67; by 2006 that had become #60 and #74.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ava #9, Zoe #99.
Northern Ireland · Girls25 shared years, 1998–2024
Ava held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Zoe in 8.
Highest recorded here: Ava #9 in 2016, Zoe #32 in 2002.
The order changed in 2008: Ava moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #46 and #45; by 2008 that had become #24 and #41.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ava #32, Zoe #105.
Norway · Girls25 shared years, 1999–2025
Ava held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Zoe in 2.
Highest recorded here: Ava #104 in 2020, Zoe #211 in 2020.
The order changed in 2003: Ava moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #542 and #402; by 2003 that had become #411 and #521.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ava #143, Zoe #313.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls23 shared years, 2003–2025
Ava held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Zoe in 3.
Highest recorded here: Ava #3 in 2017, Zoe #8 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ava #18, Zoe #19.
New Zealand · Girls21 shared years, 2003–2023
Ava held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Zoe in 6.
Highest recorded here: Ava #5 in 2017, Zoe #11 in 2010.
The order changed in 2011: Ava moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #12 and #11; by 2011 that had become #12 and #16.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Ava #8, Zoe #24.
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 | Zoe |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Meaning debated — no single origin is established with confidence. | Means 'life' in Greek. |
| Origin | Disputed — possibly Germanic, possibly a short form of Eve | Ancient Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeɪvə/ | /ˈzoʊi/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| 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) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #19 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| 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 Zoe is recorded with a Ancient Greek origin.
- Ava has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Zoe.
- Ava's recorded meaning differs from Zoe'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
Zoe
Popularity journey
First recorded1968
First recorded at #401 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1968 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1981–2025
Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2015 (recorded 1981–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #19 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls