Bethany vs Emily
Bethany and Emilycompared 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 2004, Bethany was ranked #100 and Emily #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Bethany was ranked #253 and Emily #5 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Bethany was ranked #544 and Emily #6 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Bethany was ranked #384 and Emily #7 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Bethany was ranked #539 and Emily #34 among girls in England and Wales.
Bethany and Emily over time
Bethany and Emily appear together in 4 published lists, across 100 years of shared records. Emily held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Bethany in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Bethany reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Emily in none. 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Bethany and Emily were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 33 years, from 1991 to 2025, ending at #544 and #6.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Bethany #73 in 1997, Emily #1 in 1998.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #13 and #4 in England and Wales · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2024 they were #539 and #34.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls33 shared years, 1991–2025
Bethany held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emily in 33.
Highest recorded here: Bethany #179 in 2003, Emily #1 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Bethany #544, Emily #6.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Bethany held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emily in 29.
Highest recorded here: Bethany #11 in 1999, Emily #1 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bethany #539, Emily #34.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Bethany held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emily in 28.
Highest recorded here: Bethany #32 in 1998, Emily #1 in 2013.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bethany #253, Emily #5.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls10 shared years, 1994–2004
Bethany held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emily in 10.
Highest recorded here: Bethany #73 in 1997, Emily #1 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Bethany #100, Emily #1.
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 | Bethany | Emily |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Rival, striving, eager (traditional interpretation of the Latin root). |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈɛməli/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Em, Emmy, Emilie, Amelia, Aemilia |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #544 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #6 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Emily has a recorded origin (Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia); Bethany does not have one recorded yet.
- Bethany and Emily both have 3 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Emily; Bethany doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
- The available evidence gives Bethany a "medium" Data Confidence level and Emily a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Bethany
Popularity journey
First recorded1991
First recorded at #457 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1991 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #11 among girls in England and Wales, in 1999 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #544 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Emily
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #180 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2003 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #61 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls