Namewise

Elaine vs Emma

Elaine 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.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2003, Elaine was ranked #331 and Emma #1 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Elaine was ranked #608 and Emma #28 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Elaine was ranked #1133 and Emma #85 among girls in England and Wales.

Elaine and Emma over time

Elaine and Emma appear together in 2 published lists, across 89 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Elaine 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.

Elaine reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Emma 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.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1983, Emma moved ahead of Elaine in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #6 and #8 the year before became #13 and #7.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Elaine and Emma were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1133 and #85.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Elaine #823 in 1996, Emma #13 in 1997.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls59 shared years, 1964–2025

    Elaine held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Emma in 43.

    Highest recorded here: Elaine #6 in 1982, Emma #1 in 2003.

    The order changed in 1983: Emma moved ahead. In 1982 they stood at #6 and #8; by 1983 that had become #13 and #7.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Elaine #608, Emma #28.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Elaine #823 in 1996, Emma #13 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Elaine #1133, Emma #85.

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 Elaine

Pairs where Elaine 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 Elaine, Emma
FieldElaineEmma
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
Pronunciation/ˈɛm.ə/
Syllables32
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 observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025)Norway · Girls #1 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Emma has a recorded origin (Germanic); Elaine does not have one recorded yet.
  • Elaine has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Emma.
  • A meaning is recorded for Emma; Elaine 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

Elaine

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #71 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #6 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1982 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1133 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