Namewise

Elin vs Ida

Elin and Idacompared 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.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Elin was ranked #263 and Ida #37 among girls in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Elin was ranked #722 and Ida #337 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Elin was ranked #885 and Ida #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Elin and Ida over time

Elin and Ida appear together in 2 published lists, across 110 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Elin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Ida 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 1981, Ida moved ahead of Elin in Norway · Girls — #18 and #44 the year before became #25 and #18.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Ida rose about as far as Elin fell — from #446 and #3126 in 1996 to #722 and #337 in 2024.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Elin and Ida were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #263 and #37.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls81 shared years, 19452025

    Elin held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Ida in 45.

    Highest recorded here: Elin #4 in 1974, Ida #1 in 1988.

    The order changed in 1981: Ida moved ahead. In 1980 they stood at #18 and #44; by 1981 that had become #25 and #18.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Elin #263, Ida #37.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 19962024

    Elin held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Ida in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Elin #349 in 1999, Ida #257 in 2021.

    The order changed in 2015: Ida moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #508 and #516; by 2015 that had become #564 and #361.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Elin #722, Ida #337.

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 Elin, Ida
FieldElinIda
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedCommonly traced to a Germanic element possibly meaning 'work' or 'labour'.
OriginNot yet recordedGermanic, used across Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and German tradition
Pronunciation/ˈiːdɑ/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NOGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #263 (2025)Norway · Girls #37 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Ida has a recorded origin (Germanic, used across Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and German tradition); Elin does not have one recorded yet.
  • Elin and Ida both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Ida; Elin doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO.

How each name got here

Elin

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #41 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 recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in Norway, in 1974 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #263 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls

Ida

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #204 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 recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Norway, in 1988 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #37 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls