Namewise

Ciara vs Emma

Ciara 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.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Ciara was ranked #106 and Emma #28 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Ciara was ranked #215 and Emma #53 among girls in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Ciara was ranked #127 and Emma #84 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Ciara was ranked #894 and Emma #85 among girls in England and Wales.

Ciara and Emma over time

Ciara and Emma appear together in 3 published lists, across 120 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Ciara in 0.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Ciara reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Emma 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 2003, Emma moved ahead of Ciara in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #3 and #4 the year before became #4 and #1.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Ciara and Emma changed places 5 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2025, ending at #106 and #28.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Ciara and Emma averaged 23.5 places apart, ending at #106 and #28.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Ciara and Emma were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #894 and #85.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Ciara #124 in 1998, Emma #13 in 1997.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Ciara held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Emma in 48.

    Highest recorded here: Ciara #2 in 1998, Emma #1 in 2003.

    The order changed in 2003: Emma moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #3 and #4; by 2003 that had become #4 and #1.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ciara #106, Emma #28.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Ciara held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Ciara #124 in 1998, Emma #13 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ciara #894, Emma #85.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Ciara held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Ciara #18 in 1997, Emma #1 in 2003.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Ciara #127, 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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Ciara

Pairs where Ciara shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Emma

Pairs where Emma shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Ciara, Emma
FieldCiaraEmma
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningFeminine form of Ciar; traditionally interpreted as 'dark' or 'black', historically describing hair or complexion.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.
OriginIrishGermanic
Pronunciation/ˈkɪərə//ˈɛm.ə/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IEAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #106 (2025)Norway · Girls #1 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Ciara is recorded with a Irish origin, while Emma is recorded with a Germanic origin.
  • Ciara and Emma both have 2 syllables.
  • Ciara's recorded meaning differs from Emma's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.

How each name got here

Ciara

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #146 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1998 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #894 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Emma

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1969–2023

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 2003 (recorded 1969–2023).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #85 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls