Dervilla vs Emily
Dervilla and Emilycompared 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 1993, Dervilla was ranked #516 and Emily #43 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Dervilla and Emily over time
Dervilla and Emily appear together in 1 published list, across 18 years of shared records. Emily held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Dervilla in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Dervilla reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Emily 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.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls18 shared years, 1964–1993
Dervilla held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emily in 17.
Highest recorded here: Dervilla #202 in 1965, Emily #43 in 1993.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1993: Dervilla #516, Emily #43.
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 Emily
Pairs where Emily shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Emily vs Shannon
In 1996 they stood at #4 and #11 in England and Wales · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2024 they were #34 and #1743.
Emily · Shannon · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
- Emily vs Lauren
In 1996 they stood at #4 and #5 in England and Wales · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2024 they were #34 and #934.
Emily · Lauren · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
- Emily vs Megan
In 1996 they stood at #4 and #10 in England and Wales · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2024 they were #34 and #503.
Emily · Megan · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
- Emily vs Rachael
In 1997 they stood at #32 and #25 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2017 they were #1 and #432.
Emily · Rachael · 19 shared years, 1997–2017 · Started together, ended far apart
Side by side
| Field | Dervilla | Emily |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Rival, striving, eager (traditional interpretation of the Latin root). |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈɛməli/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Em, Emmy, Emilie, Amelia, Aemilia |
| Recorded regional usage | IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #516 (1993) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #6 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 40/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Emily has a recorded origin (Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia); Dervilla does not have one recorded yet.
- Dervilla and Emily both have 3 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Emily; Dervilla doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in IE.
- The available evidence gives Dervilla a "medium" Data Confidence level and Emily a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Dervilla
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #274 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
Highest recorded1964–1993
Highest recorded position: #202 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–1993).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent1993
Most recently recorded at #516 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1993.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Emily
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #180 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
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2003 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #61 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls