Ella vs Isabella
Ella and Isabellacompared 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, Ella was ranked #4 and Isabella #122 among girls in Norway.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Ella was ranked #9 and Isabella #15 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ella was ranked #9 and Isabella #50 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ella was ranked #39 and Isabella #11 among girls in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Ella was ranked #11 and Isabella #17 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ella was ranked #12 and Isabella #44 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ella was ranked #17 and Isabella #48 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Ella and Isabella over time
Ella and Isabella appear together in 6 published lists, across 199 years of shared records. Ella held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Isabella in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Ella reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Isabella in 1. 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 2016, Isabella moved ahead of Ella in England and Wales · Girls — #6 and #8 the year before became #9 and #6.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ella and Isabella changed places 9 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1998 and 2025, ending at #11 and #17.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Ella and Isabella averaged 17.8 places apart, ending at #39 and #11.
- Mirrored each other
Over 28 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Ella rose about as far as Isabella fell — from #85 and #9 in 1998 to #11 and #17 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Ella and Isabella were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 50 years, from 1960 to 2025, ending at #4 and #122.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Ella #6 in 2015, Isabella #6 in 2016.
List by list
Norway · Girls50 shared years, 1960–2025
Ella held the stronger position in 43 of those years, Isabella in 7.
Highest recorded here: Ella #3 in 2019, Isabella #42 in 2010.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ella #4, Isabella #122.
Republic of Ireland · Girls37 shared years, 1980–2025
Ella held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Isabella in 1.
Highest recorded here: Ella #3 in 2007, Isabella #41 in 2014.
The order changed in 1993: Ella moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #456 and #456; by 1993 that had become #234 and #516.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ella #17, Isabella #48.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ella held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Isabella in 14.
Highest recorded here: Ella #6 in 2015, Isabella #6 in 2016.
The order changed in 2016: Isabella moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #6 and #8; by 2016 that had become #9 and #6.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ella #39, Isabella #11.
New Zealand · Girls29 shared years, 1995–2023
Ella held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Isabella in 7.
Highest recorded here: Ella #1 in 2007, Isabella #4 in 2008.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Ella #9, Isabella #15.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls28 shared years, 1998–2025
Ella held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Isabella in 20.
Highest recorded here: Ella #2 in 2007, Isabella #1 in 2007.
The order changed in 2025: Ella moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #15 and #12; by 2025 that had become #11 and #17.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ella #11, Isabella #17.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1999–2024
Ella held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Isabella in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ella #2 in 2015, Isabella #27 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ella #12, Isabella #44.
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 | Ella | Isabella |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A diminutive of Eleanor, Ellen and other names beginning with 'El-', also used as a short form of names ending in '-ella'. Widely used across Scandinavian and Germanic languages as well as English. | My God is an oath (via Elizabeth). |
| Origin | Germanic, diminutive form | Spanish/Italian, via Elizabeth |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛl.ə/ | /ˌɪzəˈbɛlə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 4 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Bella, Izzy, Isabel, Isobel |
| 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 | Norway · Girls #4 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #17 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Ella is recorded with a Germanic, diminutive form origin, while Isabella is recorded with a Spanish/Italian, via Elizabeth origin.
- Ella has 2 syllables, compared with 4 for Isabella.
- Ella's recorded meaning differs from Isabella's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Ella a "medium" Data Confidence level and Isabella a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Ella
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #137 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1993–2023
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 2007 (recorded 1993–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #11 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Isabella
Popularity journey
First recorded1960
First recorded at #472 among girls in Norway in 1960 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1993–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2007 (recorded 1993–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #17 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls