Dora vs Emily
Dora 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 2021, Dora was ranked #883 and Emily #3 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Dora was ranked #1065 and Emily #34 among girls in England and Wales.
Dora and Emily over time
Dora and Emily appear together in 2 published lists, across 48 years of shared records. Emily held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Dora in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.
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
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Dora held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emily in 29.
Highest recorded here: Dora #952 in 2018, Emily #1 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Dora #1065, Emily #34.
Republic of Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 1964–2021
Dora held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emily in 18.
Highest recorded here: Dora #202 in 1965, Emily #1 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Dora #883, Emily #3.
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 | Dora | 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 | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Em, Emmy, Emilie, Amelia, Aemilia |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #1065 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #6 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 60/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Emily has a recorded origin (Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia); Dora does not have one recorded yet.
- Dora has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Emily.
- A meaning is recorded for Emily; Dora doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
- The available evidence gives Dora 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
Dora
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #222 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 recorded1964–2021
Highest recorded position: #202 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2021).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1065 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · 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