Christine vs Emma
Christine 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, Christine was ranked #498 and Emma #1 among girls in Norway.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1998, Christine was ranked #94 and Emma #5 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1992, Christine was ranked #82 and Emma #6 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2018, Christine was ranked #434 and Emma #27 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Christine was ranked #885 and Emma #28 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Christine was ranked #1639 and Emma #85 among girls in England and Wales.
Christine and Emma over time
Christine and Emma appear together in 6 published lists, across 221 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Christine in 1.
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.
Christine reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 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 took the other's place near the top
In Norway · Girls, Emma moved into the top 50 at #47 in 1995 as Christine fell out of it to #66, having been #42 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1975, Emma moved ahead of Christine in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #39 and #42 the year before became #42 and #22.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Christine and Emma changed places 5 times in Norway · Girls between 1945 and 2025, ending at #498 and #1.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 24 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Christine and Emma averaged 45.0 places apart, ending at #82 and #6.
- Mirrored each other
Over 72 shared years in Norway · Girls, Emma rose about as far as Christine fell — from #253 and #342 in 1945 to #498 and #1 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Christine and Emma were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1639 and #85.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Christine #361 in 1996, Emma #13 in 1997.
List by list
Norway · Girls72 shared years, 1945–2025
Christine held the stronger position in 41 of those years, Emma in 31.
Highest recorded here: Christine #22 in 1988, Emma #1 in 2003.
The order changed in 1995: Emma moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #42 and #80; by 1995 that had become #66 and #47.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Christine #498, Emma #1.
Republic of Ireland · Girls60 shared years, 1964–2025
Christine held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Emma in 51.
Highest recorded here: Christine #52 in 1989, Emma #1 in 2003.
The order changed in 1973: Emma moved ahead. In 1972 they stood at #84 and #86; by 1973 that had become #99 and #50.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Christine #885, Emma #28.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Christine held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 30.
Highest recorded here: Christine #361 in 1996, Emma #13 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Christine #1639, Emma #85.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls24 shared years, 1969–1992
Christine held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Emma in 18.
Highest recorded here: Christine #25 in 1970, Emma #3 in 1988.
The order changed in 1975: Emma moved ahead. In 1974 they stood at #39 and #42; by 1975 that had become #42 and #22.
Most recent shared year, 1992: Christine #82, Emma #6.
New Zealand · Girls22 shared years, 1969–1998
Christine held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Emma in 17.
Highest recorded here: Christine #19 in 1969, Emma #2 in 1988.
The order changed in 1974: Emma moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #41 and #56; by 1974 that had become #48 and #33.
Most recent shared year, 1998: Christine #94, Emma #5.
Northern Ireland · Girls13 shared years, 1997–2018
Christine held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 13.
Highest recorded here: Christine #158 in 1999, Emma #1 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Christine #434, Emma #27.
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 | Christine | 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 | 3 | 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 | Norway · Girls #498 (2025) | Norway · Girls #1 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 70/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Emma has a recorded origin (Germanic); Christine does not have one recorded yet.
- Christine has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Emma.
- A meaning is recorded for Emma; Christine 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
Christine
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #253 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1992
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1992).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #1639 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