Charlotte vs Emily
Charlotte 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 2025, Charlotte was ranked #1 and Emily #61 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Charlotte was ranked #1 and Emily #30 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Charlotte was ranked #6 and Emily #5 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Charlotte was ranked #43 and Emily #6 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Charlotte was ranked #10 and Emily #7 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Charlotte was ranked #25 and Emily #44 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Charlotte was ranked #162 and Emily #71 among girls in Norway.
Charlotte and Emily over time
Charlotte and Emily appear together in 6 published lists, across 254 years of shared records. Emily held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Charlotte in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 3 of the lists they share.
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 2023, Charlotte moved ahead of Emily in England and Wales · Girls — #26 and #19 the year before became #23 and #28.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Charlotte and Emily changed places 12 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1975 and 2023, ending at #1 and #30.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Charlotte and Emily averaged 9.2 places apart, ending at #25 and #44.
- Longest-running competitions
Charlotte and Emily were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #25 and #44.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Charlotte held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Emily in 55.
Highest recorded here: Charlotte #39 in 2018, Emily #1 in 2011.
The order changed in 1973: Emily moved ahead. In 1972 they stood at #193 and #232; by 1973 that had become #193 and #184.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charlotte #43, Emily #6.
New Zealand · Girls49 shared years, 1975–2023
Charlotte held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Emily in 17.
Highest recorded here: Charlotte #1 in 2006, Emily #2 in 2013.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Charlotte #1, Emily #30.
Norway · Girls49 shared years, 1969–2025
Charlotte held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Emily in 18.
Highest recorded here: Charlotte #12 in 1990, Emily #47 in 2014.
The order changed in 2008: Emily moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #86 and #113; by 2008 that had become #115 and #92.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charlotte #162, Emily #71.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls36 shared years, 1989–2025
Charlotte held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Emily in 18.
Highest recorded here: Charlotte #1 in 2012, Emily #1 in 1998.
The order changed in 2009: Charlotte moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #6 and #5; by 2009 that had become #3 and #6.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charlotte #1, Emily #61.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Charlotte held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Emily in 27.
Highest recorded here: Charlotte #5 in 2000, Emily #1 in 2003.
The order changed in 2023: Charlotte moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #26 and #19; by 2023 that had become #23 and #28.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charlotte #25, Emily #44.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Charlotte held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emily in 28.
Highest recorded here: Charlotte #6 in 2024, Emily #1 in 2013.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Charlotte #6, Emily #5.
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 | Charlotte | Emily |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Free man (feminine form of Charles). | Rival, striving, eager (traditional interpretation of the Latin root). |
| Origin | French, feminine of Charles | Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia |
| Pronunciation | /ˈʃɑɹlət/ | /ˈɛməli/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Lottie, Charlie, Carlotta | Em, Emmy, Emilie, Amelia, Aemilia |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #1 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #6 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 65/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 70/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | high |
What the data shows
- Charlotte is recorded with a French, feminine of Charles origin, while Emily is recorded with a Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia origin.
- Charlotte and Emily both have 3 syllables.
- Charlotte's recorded meaning differs from Emily's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Charlotte
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #345 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1989–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2012 (recorded 1989–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #25 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · 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 recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2003 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #44 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls