Caroline vs Emma
Caroline and Emmacompared 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 · Girls
In 2025, Caroline was ranked #392 and Emma #1 among girls in Norway.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1985, Caroline was ranked #85 and Emma #5 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1981, Caroline was ranked #84 and Emma #12 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2015, Caroline was ranked #358 and Emma #20 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Caroline was ranked #381 and Emma #28 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Caroline was ranked #1406 and Emma #69 among girls in England and Wales.
Caroline and Emma over time
Caroline and Emma appear together in 6 published lists, across 195 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Caroline in 1.
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.
Caroline reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Emma 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 1972, Emma moved ahead of Caroline in New Zealand · Girls — #68 and #72 the year before became #89 and #58.
- Longest-running competitions
Caroline and Emma were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 62 years, from 1958 to 2025, ending at #392 and #1.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Caroline #182 in 1996, Emma #13 in 1997.
List by list
Norway · Girls62 shared years, 1958–2025
Caroline held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Emma in 30.
Highest recorded here: Caroline #15 in 1990, Emma #1 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Caroline #392, Emma #1.
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Caroline held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Emma in 45.
Highest recorded here: Caroline #3 in 1979, Emma #1 in 2003.
The order changed in 1981: Emma moved ahead. In 1980 they stood at #7 and #11; by 1981 that had become #12 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Caroline #381, Emma #28.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Caroline held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 29.
Highest recorded here: Caroline #182 in 1996, Emma #13 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Caroline #1406, Emma #69.
New Zealand · Girls17 shared years, 1969–1985
Caroline held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Emma in 14.
Highest recorded here: Caroline #56 in 1978, Emma #3 in 1982.
The order changed in 1972: Emma moved ahead. In 1971 they stood at #68 and #72; by 1972 that had become #89 and #58.
Most recent shared year, 1985: Caroline #85, Emma #5.
Northern Ireland · Girls14 shared years, 1997–2015
Caroline held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 14.
Highest recorded here: Caroline #112 in 1998, Emma #1 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Caroline #358, Emma #20.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls11 shared years, 1969–1981
Caroline held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 11.
Highest recorded here: Caroline #65 in 1979, Emma #12 in 1979.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1981: Caroline #84, Emma #12.
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 | Caroline | 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 | /ˈɛm.ə/ | |
| Syllables | 4 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #381 (2025) | Norway · Girls #1 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Emma has a recorded origin (Germanic); Caroline does not have one recorded yet.
- Caroline has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Emma.
- A meaning is recorded for Emma; Caroline doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Caroline
Popularity journey
First recorded1957
First recorded at #94 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1957 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1979 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #392 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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 #65 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls