Bethany vs Emma
Bethany and Emma compared 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 Emma #9 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Bethany was ranked #544 and Emma #28 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Bethany was ranked #384 and Emma #53 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Bethany was ranked #253 and Emma #84 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Bethany was ranked #585 and Emma #85 among girls in England and Wales.
Bethany and Emma over time
Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.
Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.
Bethany and Emma over time
Bethany and Emma appear together in 4 published lists, across 101 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Bethany 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.
Emma reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Bethany 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, Emma moved ahead of Bethany in England and Wales · Girls — #17 and #27 the year before became #24 and #19.
- Longest-running competitions
Bethany and Emma were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #585 and #85.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Bethany #11 in 1999, Emma #13 in 1997.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #13 and #14 in England and Wales · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2025 they were #585 and #85.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls33 shared years, 1991–2025
Bethany held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 33.
Highest recorded here: Bethany #179 in 2003, Emma #1 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Bethany #544, Emma #28.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Bethany held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Emma in 24.
Highest recorded here: Bethany #11 in 1999, Emma #13 in 1997.
The order changed in 2003: Emma moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #17 and #27; by 2003 that had become #24 and #19.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Bethany #585, Emma #85.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Bethany held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 28.
Highest recorded here: Bethany #32 in 1998, Emma #1 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bethany #253, Emma #84.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls10 shared years, 1994–2004
Bethany held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 10.
Highest recorded here: Bethany #73 in 1997, Emma #4 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Bethany #100, Emma #9.
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.
Where to go next
Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.
Other comparisons involving Bethany
Pairs where Bethany shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Shannon vs Bethany
In 1996 they stood at #11 and #13 in England and Wales · Girls, 2 places apart; by 2025 they were #2138 and #585.
Shannon · Bethany · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Danielle vs Bethany
In 1996 they stood at #20 and #13 in England and Wales · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2025 they were #1454 and #585.
Danielle · Bethany · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Lauren vs Bethany
In 1996 they stood at #5 and #13 in England and Wales · Girls, 8 places apart; by 2025 they were #1166 and #585.
Lauren · Bethany · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Bethany vs Eleanor
In 1996 they stood at #13 and #22 in England and Wales · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2025 they were #585 and #56.
Bethany · Eleanor · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
Other comparisons involving Emma
Pairs where Emma shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Emma vs Danielle
In 1996 they stood at #14 and #20 in England and Wales · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2025 they were #85 and #1454.
Emma · Danielle · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Emma vs Megan
In 1996 they stood at #14 and #10 in England and Wales · Girls, 4 places apart; by 2025 they were #85 and #816.
Emma · Megan · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Emma vs Courtney
In 1997 they stood at #4 and #12 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 8 places apart; by 2017 they were #22 and #432.
Emma · Courtney · 21 shared years, 1997–2017 · Started together, ended far apart
- Emma vs Heidi
Over 75 shared years in Norway · Girls, Emma rose about as far as Heidi fell — from #342 and #188 in 1945 to #1 and #437 in 2025.
Emma · Heidi · 75 shared years, 1945–2025 · Mirrored each other
Other pairs with the same kind of relationship
Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — started together, ended far apart.
- Grace vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #41 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2025 they were #27 and #4867.
Grace · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Ella vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #56 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2025 they were #46 and #4867.
Ella · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Jasmine vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #55 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #102 and #4867.
Jasmine · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Anna vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #47 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2025 they were #142 and #4867.
Anna · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
Other pairs from England and Wales lists
Pairs measured inside England and Wales's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.
- Hayley vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #57 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2025 they were #478 and #4867.
Hayley · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Natalie vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #42 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 8 places apart; by 2025 they were #634 and #4867.
Natalie · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Jennifer vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #54 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 4 places apart; by 2025 they were #650 and #4867.
Jennifer · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Lily vs Nicola
In 1996 they stood at #85 and #87 in England and Wales · Girls, 2 places apart; by 2025 they were #2 and #4201.
Lily · Nicola · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s
Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.
- Freya vs Jordan
In 1996 they stood at #118 and #126 in England and Wales · Girls, 8 places apart; by 2025 they were #6 and #4201.
Freya · Jordan · 29 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Nicola vs Poppy
In 1996 they stood at #87 and #92 in England and Wales · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #4201 and #7.
Nicola · Poppy · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Nicola vs Sophia
In 1996 they stood at #87 and #95 in England and Wales · Girls, 8 places apart; by 2025 they were #4201 and #13.
Nicola · Sophia · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Mia vs Jordan
In 1996 they stood at #116 and #126 in England and Wales · Girls, 10 places apart; by 2025 they were #21 and #4201.
Mia · Jordan · 29 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
Side by side
| Field | Bethany | Emma |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | A shortened form of Germanic names beginning with the element 'irmin' ('whole, great'), from Proto-Germanic *ermunaz. Introduced to England by Emma of Normandy, wife of King Ethelred II and later King Canute; further popularised by Jane Austen's 1816 novel Emma. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Germanic |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈɛm.ə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | New South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland | New South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New Zealand |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #544 (2025) | Norway · Girls #1 (2025) |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Emma has a recorded origin (Germanic); Bethany does not have one recorded yet.
- Bethany has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Emma.
- A meaning is recorded for Emma; Bethany doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
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 recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #11 among girls in England and Wales, in 1999 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #585 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Emma
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #342 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1969–2023
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 2003 (recorded 1969–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #85 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls