Namewise

Dearbhla vs Emer

Dearbhla and Emercompared 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.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Dearbhla was ranked #253 and Emer #253 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Dearbhla was ranked #483 and Emer #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2012, Dearbhla was ranked #5876 and Emer #4838 among girls in England and Wales.

Dearbhla and Emer over time

Dearbhla and Emer appear together in 2 published lists, across 84 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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.

Emer reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Dearbhla 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.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Dearbhla and Emer changed places 14 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2024, ending at #253 and #253.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Dearbhla and Emer averaged 43.5 places apart, ending at #253 and #253.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Dearbhla and Emer were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 56 years, from 1969 to 2025, ending at #483 and #608.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls56 shared years, 19692025

    Dearbhla held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Emer in 53.

    Highest recorded here: Dearbhla #126 in 1999, Emer #43 in 1983.

    The order changed in 2025: Dearbhla moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #445 and #364; by 2025 that had become #483 and #608.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Dearbhla #483, Emer #608.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 19972024

    Dearbhla held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Emer in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Dearbhla #90 in 2001, Emer #85 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Dearbhla #253, Emer #253.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Dearbhla, Emer
FieldDearbhlaEmer
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IEGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #483 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)76/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Dearbhla and Emer both have 2 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.

How each name got here

Dearbhla

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1969

    First recorded at #322 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1969 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #90 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2001 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #483 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

Emer

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #108 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: #43 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1983 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls