Namewise

Courtney vs Emma

Courtney 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 Zealand · Girls

    In 2006, Courtney was ranked #96 and Emma #4 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2004, Courtney was ranked #94 and Emma #9 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2023, Courtney was ranked #727 and Emma #19 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2017, Courtney was ranked #432 and Emma #22 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Courtney was ranked #2278 and Emma #85 among girls in England and Wales.

Courtney and Emma over time

Courtney and Emma appear together in 5 published lists, across 123 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Courtney in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Courtney reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Emma in 2. 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.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Courtney and Emma averaged 28.5 places apart, ending at #94 and #9.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Courtney and Emma were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #2278 and #85.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Courtney #17 in 1998, Emma #13 in 1997.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1997 they stood at #12 and #4 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 8 places apart; by 2017 they were #432 and #22.

List by list

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Courtney #17 in 1998, Emma #13 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Courtney #2278, Emma #85.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls30 shared years, 1988–2023

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

    Highest recorded here: Courtney #43 in 1998, Emma #1 in 2003.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Courtney #727, Emma #19.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls21 shared years, 1984–2004

    Courtney held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Courtney #11 in 1996, Emma #3 in 1988.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2004: Courtney #94, Emma #9.

  • New Zealand · Girls21 shared years, 1985–2006

    Courtney held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Courtney #8 in 1996, Emma #1 in 2003.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2006: Courtney #96, Emma #4.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 1997–2017

    Courtney held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Courtney #12 in 1997, Emma #1 in 2003.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2017: Courtney #432, Emma #22.

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 Courtney

Pairs where Courtney 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 — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Northern 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.

Northern Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2010s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2010 and 2019.

The 2010s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Courtney, Emma
FieldCourtneyEmma
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedA 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.
OriginNot yet recordedGermanic
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈɛm.ə/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Girls #2278 (2025)Norway · Girls #1 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)76/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Emma has a recorded origin (Germanic); Courtney does not have one recorded yet.
  • Courtney and Emma both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Emma; Courtney doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Courtney

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1984

    First recorded at #68 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1984 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1985–2006

    Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New Zealand, in 1996 (recorded 1985–2006).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2278 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