Namewise

Elijah vs Iarla

Elijah and Iarlacompared 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.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2015, Elijah was ranked #46 and Iarla #4747 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Elijah was ranked #57 and Iarla #239 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Elijah was ranked #97 and Iarla #149 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Elijah and Iarla over time

Elijah and Iarla appear together in 2 published lists, across 32 years of shared records. Elijah held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Iarla 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.

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.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 20002025

    Elijah held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Iarla in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Elijah #97 in 2025, Iarla #135 in 2021.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Elijah #97, Iarla #149.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys8 shared years, 20152024

    Elijah held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Iarla in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Elijah #52 in 2023, Iarla #239 in 2024.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Elijah #57, Iarla #239.

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 Elijah, Iarla
FieldElijahIarla
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningTraditionally rendered as 'my God is Yahweh', reflecting a common theophoric naming pattern in Hebrew.Not yet recorded
OriginBiblical HebrewNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ɪˈlaɪdʒə/Not yet recorded
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE
Most recent popularity observationNew South Wales, Australia · Boys #7 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #149 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Elijah has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Iarla does not have one recorded yet.
  • Elijah has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Iarla.
  • A meaning is recorded for Elijah; Iarla doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.

How each name got here

Elijah

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1996

    First recorded at #312 among boys in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    England and Wales · Boys

  2. Highest recorded2003–2025

    Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025 (recorded 2003–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #7 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

Iarla

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1981

    First recorded at #322 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1981 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1981–2025

    Highest recorded position: #135 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2021 (recorded 1981–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #149 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys