Elizabeth vs Sophie
Elizabeth and Sophiecompared 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 2025, Elizabeth was ranked #76 and Sophie #6 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Elizabeth was ranked #85 and Sophie #14 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Elizabeth was ranked #87 and Sophie #14 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Elizabeth was ranked #113 and Sophie #17 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Elizabeth was ranked #83 and Sophie #22 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Elizabeth was ranked #74 and Sophie #63 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2024, Elizabeth was ranked #484 and Sophie #124 among girls in Norway.
Elizabeth and Sophie over time
Elizabeth and Sophie appear together in 6 published lists, across 249 years of shared records. Sophie held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Elizabeth in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Elizabeth reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Sophie 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 1996, Sophie moved ahead of Elizabeth in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #24 and #25 the year before became #26 and #17.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Elizabeth and Sophie averaged 28.4 places apart, ending at #74 and #63.
- Longest-running competitions
Elizabeth and Sophie were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #74 and #63.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Elizabeth #26 in 1996, Sophie #1 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls56 shared years, 1967–2025
Elizabeth held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Sophie in 31.
Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #6 in 1967, Sophie #1 in 2009.
The order changed in 1995: Sophie moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #44 and #58; by 1995 that had become #45 and #40.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Elizabeth #76, Sophie #6.
Norway · Girls54 shared years, 1960–2024
Elizabeth held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Sophie in 35.
Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #168 in 1966, Sophie #106 in 2016.
The order changed in 1990: Sophie moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #222 and #297; by 1990 that had become #285 and #229.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Elizabeth #484, Sophie #124.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls41 shared years, 1985–2025
Elizabeth held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Sophie in 30.
Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #15 in 1986, Sophie #5 in 2004.
The order changed in 1996: Sophie moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #24 and #25; by 1996 that had become #26 and #17.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Elizabeth #83, Sophie #22.
New Zealand · Girls40 shared years, 1984–2023
Elizabeth held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Sophie in 32.
Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #14 in 1984, Sophie #1 in 2008.
The order changed in 1992: Sophie moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #25 and #39; by 1992 that had become #31 and #20.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Elizabeth #85, Sophie #14.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Elizabeth held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophie in 30.
Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #26 in 1996, Sophie #1 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Elizabeth #74, Sophie #63.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Elizabeth held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophie in 28.
Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #55 in 1997, Sophie #1 in 2010.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Elizabeth #87, Sophie #14.
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 | Elizabeth | Sophie |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | From the Greek Elisabet, from Hebrew Elisheva, combining 'el' (God) with 'shava' ('oath') — 'my God is an oath'. Appears in the Old Testament as Elisheba, Aaron's wife, and in the New Testament as the mother of John the Baptist. | The French form of Sophia, from Ancient Greek 'sophia' meaning 'wisdom'. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Greek, via French transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ɪ.ˈlɪz.ə.bəθ/ | /sɔ.fi/ |
| Syllables | 4 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #74 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #6 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 65/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 70/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Elizabeth is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Sophie is recorded with a Greek, via French transmission origin.
- Elizabeth has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Sophie.
- Elizabeth's recorded meaning differs from Sophie's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Elizabeth
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #341 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1969 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #74 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Sophie
Popularity journey
First recorded1960
First recorded at #492 among girls in Norway in 1960 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 1996 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #63 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls