Namewise

Ella vs Ivy

Ella and Ivycompared 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 · Girls

    In 2024, Ella was ranked #39 and Ivy #5 among girls in England and Wales.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2023, Ella was ranked #9 and Ivy #22 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Ella was ranked #9 and Ivy #14 among girls in Scotland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2025, Ella was ranked #11 and Ivy #30 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Ella was ranked #12 and Ivy #35 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Ella was ranked #17 and Ivy #50 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Ella and Ivy over time

Ella and Ivy appear together in 5 published lists, across 92 years of shared records. Ella held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Ivy 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.

Ella reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Ivy 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 2019, Ivy moved ahead of Ella in England and Wales · Girls — #9 and #14 the year before became #13 and #12.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Ella and Ivy changed places 6 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 2009 and 2025, ending at #11 and #30.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Ella #7 in 2022, Ivy #11 in 2020.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 19962024

    Ella held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Ivy in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Ella #6 in 2015, Ivy #5 in 2021.

    The order changed in 2019: Ivy moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #9 and #14; by 2019 that had become #13 and #12.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Ella #39, Ivy #5.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 20022025

    Ella held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Ivy in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Ella #3 in 2007, Ivy #49 in 2023.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ella #17, Ivy #50.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls17 shared years, 20092025

    Ella held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Ivy in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Ella #7 in 2022, Ivy #11 in 2020.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ella #11, Ivy #30.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls14 shared years, 20092024

    Ella held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Ivy in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Ella #2 in 2015, Ivy #26 in 2023.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Ella #12, Ivy #35.

  • New Zealand · Girls13 shared years, 20102023

    Ella held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Ivy in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Ella #5 in 2016, Ivy #22 in 2020.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Ella #9, Ivy #22.

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 Ella, Ivy
FieldEllaIvy
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningA 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.From the English word for the ivy plant.
OriginGermanic, diminutive formEnglish (plant name)
Pronunciation/ˈɛl.ə//ˈaɪvi/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #4 (2025)New South Wales, Australia · Girls #30 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Ella is recorded with a Germanic, diminutive form origin, while Ivy is recorded with a English (plant name) origin.
  • Ella and Ivy both have 2 syllables.
  • Ella's recorded meaning differs from Ivy's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Ella

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1993–2023

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 2007 (recorded 1993–2023).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #11 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

Ivy

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1972

    First recorded at #471 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1972 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in England and Wales, in 2021 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #30 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls