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Bethany vs Gemma

Bethany and Gemma 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.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2016, Bethany was ranked #92 and Gemma #353 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2004, Bethany was ranked #100 and Gemma #99 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Bethany was ranked #544 and Gemma #718 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Bethany was ranked #585 and Gemma #4867 among girls in England and Wales.

Bethany and Gemma over time

Republic of Ireland · Girls
#100#30019912025Bethany #544Gemma #7181991: Bethany #457, Gemma #581994: Bethany #350, Gemma #541995: Bethany #352, Gemma #581996: Bethany #393, Gemma #611997: Bethany #440, Gemma #511998: Bethany #380, Gemma #561999: Bethany #267, Gemma #842000: Bethany #251, Gemma #922001: Bethany #225, Gemma #972002: Bethany #197, Gemma #1012003: Bethany #179, Gemma #1082004: Bethany #257, Gemma #1052005: Bethany #347, Gemma #1192006: Bethany #367, Gemma #1462007: Bethany #307, Gemma #1062008: Bethany #341, Gemma #982009: Bethany #331, Gemma #1282010: Bethany #319, Gemma #1362011: Bethany #285, Gemma #1702012: Bethany #317, Gemma #1512013: Bethany #273, Gemma #2542014: Bethany #427, Gemma #2912015: Bethany #462, Gemma #3162016: Bethany #335, Gemma #2732017: Bethany #524, Gemma #3242018: Bethany #474, Gemma #4362019: Bethany #362, Gemma #8712020: Bethany #544, Gemma #5442021: Bethany #517, Gemma #8832022: Bethany #357, Gemma #5022023: Bethany #445, Gemma #4452024: Bethany #556, Gemma #7362025: Bethany #544, Gemma #718

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.

England and Wales · Girls
#30#100#300#1000#300019962025Bethany #585Gemma #48671996: Bethany #13, Gemma #501997: Bethany #14, Gemma #571998: Bethany #14, Gemma #591999: Bethany #11, Gemma #722000: Bethany #13, Gemma #802001: Bethany #17, Gemma #932002: Bethany #17, Gemma #1022003: Bethany #24, Gemma #1052004: Bethany #28, Gemma #1182005: Bethany #40, Gemma #1582006: Bethany #43, Gemma #1742007: Bethany #50, Gemma #2052008: Bethany #55, Gemma #2542009: Bethany #53, Gemma #3072010: Bethany #59, Gemma #3542011: Bethany #64, Gemma #4802012: Bethany #73, Gemma #5802013: Bethany #77, Gemma #9822014: Bethany #86, Gemma #9632015: Bethany #85, Gemma #8452016: Bethany #103, Gemma #10572017: Bethany #122, Gemma #15682018: Bethany #140, Gemma #16492019: Bethany #179, Gemma #19402020: Bethany #226, Gemma #23002021: Bethany #227, Gemma #19622022: Bethany #284, Gemma #16852023: Bethany #304, Gemma #19592024: Bethany #539, Gemma #15412025: Bethany #585, Gemma #4867

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 Gemma over time

Bethany and Gemma appear together in 4 published lists, across 91 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Gemma reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Bethany 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.

  • One took the other's place near the top

    In Northern Ireland · Girls, Bethany moved into the top 50 at #32 in 1998 as Gemma fell out of it to #53, having been #35 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1998, Bethany moved ahead of Gemma in Northern Ireland · Girls — #53 and #35 the year before became #32 and #53.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Bethany and Gemma changed places 5 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1991 and 2025, ending at #544 and #718.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Bethany and Gemma were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #585 and #4867.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Bethany #32 in 1998, Gemma #35 in 1997.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls33 shared years, 1991–2025

    Bethany held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Gemma in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Bethany #179 in 2003, Gemma #51 in 1997.

    The order changed in 2024: Bethany moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #445 and #445; by 2024 that had become #556 and #736.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Bethany #544, Gemma #718.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Bethany held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Gemma in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Bethany #11 in 1999, Gemma #50 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Bethany #585, Gemma #4867.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 1997–2016

    Bethany held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Gemma in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Bethany #32 in 1998, Gemma #35 in 1997.

    The order changed in 1998: Bethany moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #53 and #35; by 1998 that had become #32 and #53.

    Most recent shared year, 2016: Bethany #92, Gemma #353.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls9 shared years, 1994–2004

    Bethany held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Gemma in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Bethany #73 in 1997, Gemma #61 in 1994.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2004: Bethany #100, Gemma #99.

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.

Other comparisons involving Gemma

Pairs where Gemma shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top →

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Northern Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Northern Ireland overview →

Other pairs ranked together in the 2010s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2010 and 2019.

The 2010s across all registrars →

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Bethany, Gemma
FieldBethanyGemma
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recorded
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of IrelandNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, New Zealand
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #544 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #718 (2025)
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Bethany has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Gemma.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.

How each name got here

Bethany

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #11 among girls in England and Wales, in 1999 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #585 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Gemma

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #149 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

  2. Highest recorded1982–2008

    Highest recorded position: #17 among girls in New Zealand, in 1984 (recorded 1982–2008).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #4867 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls