Charlotte vs Emma
Charlotte 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.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Charlotte was ranked #1 and Emma #65 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Charlotte was ranked #1 and Emma #67 among girls in New Zealand.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Charlotte was ranked #162 and Emma #1 among girls in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Charlotte was ranked #6 and Emma #84 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Charlotte was ranked #10 and Emma #53 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Charlotte was ranked #25 and Emma #85 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Charlotte was ranked #43 and Emma #28 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Charlotte and Emma over time
Charlotte and Emma appear together in 6 published lists, across 274 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Emma reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Charlotte 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 2004, Charlotte moved ahead of Emma in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #12 and #7 the year before became #6 and #9.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Charlotte and Emma averaged 27.3 places apart, ending at #25 and #85.
- Mirrored each other
Over 50 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Charlotte rose about as far as Emma fell — from #91 and #33 in 1974 to #1 and #67 in 2023.
- Longest-running competitions
Charlotte and Emma were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #25 and #85.
List by list
Norway · Girls68 shared years, 1946–2025
Charlotte held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Emma in 33.
Highest recorded here: Charlotte #12 in 1990, Emma #1 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charlotte #162, Emma #1.
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Charlotte held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Emma in 59.
Highest recorded here: Charlotte #39 in 2018, Emma #1 in 2003.
The order changed in 1967: Emma moved ahead. In 1966 they stood at #203 and #226; by 1967 that had become #187 and #179.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charlotte #43, Emma #28.
New Zealand · Girls50 shared years, 1974–2023
Charlotte held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Emma in 33.
Highest recorded here: Charlotte #1 in 2006, Emma #1 in 2003.
The order changed in 2008: Charlotte moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #5 and #4; by 2008 that had become #5 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Charlotte #1, Emma #67.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls36 shared years, 1989–2025
Charlotte held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Emma in 14.
Highest recorded here: Charlotte #1 in 2012, Emma #3 in 1989.
The order changed in 2004: Charlotte moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #12 and #7; by 2004 that had become #6 and #9.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charlotte #1, Emma #65.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Charlotte held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Emma in 0.
Highest recorded here: Charlotte #5 in 2000, Emma #13 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charlotte #25, Emma #85.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Charlotte held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Emma in 19.
Highest recorded here: Charlotte #6 in 2024, Emma #1 in 2003.
The order changed in 2016: Charlotte moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #34 and #20; by 2016 that had become #13 and #25.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Charlotte #6, Emma #84.
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 | Emma |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Free man (feminine form of Charles). | 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 | French, feminine of Charles | Germanic |
| Pronunciation | /ˈʃɑɹlət/ | /ˈɛm.ə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Lottie, Charlie, Carlotta | Not yet recorded |
| 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) | Norway · Girls #1 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 65/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 70/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Charlotte is recorded with a French, feminine of Charles origin, while Emma is recorded with a Germanic origin.
- Charlotte has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Emma.
- Charlotte's recorded meaning differs from Emma's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Charlotte a "high" Data Confidence level and Emma a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
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
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