Carl vs Emil
Carl and Emilcompared 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.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Carl was ranked #192 and Emil #2 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Carl was ranked #2263 and Emil #737 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Carl was ranked #770 and Emil #770 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Carl and Emil over time
Carl and Emil appear together in 3 published lists, across 122 years of shared records. Carl held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Emil in 0.
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.
Carl reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Emil 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 moved ahead of the other
In 1987, Emil moved ahead of Carl in Norway · Boys — #123 and #132 the year before became #115 and #96.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Carl and Emil changed places 5 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 2006 and 2023, ending at #770 and #770.
- Longest-running competitions
Carl and Emil were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #192 and #2.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Carl held the stronger position in 42 of those years, Emil in 39.
Highest recorded here: Carl #83 in 1990, Emil #1 in 2008.
The order changed in 1987: Emil moved ahead. In 1986 they stood at #123 and #132; by 1987 that had become #115 and #96.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Carl #192, Emil #2.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Carl held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Emil in 12.
Highest recorded here: Carl #116 in 1996, Emil #506 in 2015.
The order changed in 2013: Emil moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #606 and #682; by 2013 that had become #720 and #666.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Carl #2263, Emil #737.
Republic of Ireland · Boys12 shared years, 2006–2023
Carl held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Emil in 4.
Highest recorded here: Carl #239 in 2006, Emil #310 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Carl #770, Emil #770.
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 | Carl | Emil |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | From the Roman family name Aemilius, itself from Latin 'aemulus' meaning 'rival'. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Latin, widely used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German and other European traditions |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈeː.mɪl/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #192 (2025) | Norway · Boys #2 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 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
- Emil has a recorded origin (Latin, widely used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German and other European traditions); Carl does not have one recorded yet.
- Carl has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Emil.
- A meaning is recorded for Emil; Carl doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Carl
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #133 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1959–1992
Highest recorded position: #41 among boys in New Zealand, in 1981 (recorded 1959–1992).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #192 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Emil
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #271 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 2008 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys