Ella vs Jennifer
Ella and Jennifercompared 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.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2003, Ella was ranked #3 and Jennifer #84 among girls in New Zealand.
Norway · Girls
In 2020, Ella was ranked #3 and Jennifer #493 among girls in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2003, Ella was ranked #9 and Jennifer #88 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ella was ranked #9 and Jennifer #384 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2022, Ella was ranked #12 and Jennifer #354 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ella was ranked #17 and Jennifer #413 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ella was ranked #39 and Jennifer #483 among girls in England and Wales.
Ella and Jennifer over time
Ella and Jennifer appear together in 5 published lists, across 154 years of shared records. Ella held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Jennifer 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.
Jennifer reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Ella 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 1997, Ella moved ahead of Jennifer in England and Wales · Girls — #56 and #54 the year before became #44 and #62.
- Longest-running competitions
Ella and Jennifer were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 48 years, from 1946 to 2020, ending at #3 and #493.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #56 and #54 in England and Wales · Girls, 2 places apart; by 2024 they were #39 and #483.
List by list
Norway · Girls48 shared years, 1946–2020
Ella held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Jennifer in 19.
Highest recorded here: Ella #3 in 2020, Jennifer #187 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Ella #3, Jennifer #493.
Republic of Ireland · Girls46 shared years, 1970–2025
Ella held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Jennifer in 22.
Highest recorded here: Ella #3 in 2007, Jennifer #4 in 1981.
The order changed in 2002: Ella moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #48 and #39; by 2002 that had become #28 and #34.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ella #17, Jennifer #413.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ella held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Jennifer in 1.
Highest recorded here: Ella #6 in 2015, Jennifer #54 in 1996.
The order changed in 1997: Ella moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #56 and #54; by 1997 that had become #44 and #62.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ella #39, Jennifer #483.
Northern Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 1997–2022
Ella held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Jennifer in 4.
Highest recorded here: Ella #2 in 2015, Jennifer #55 in 1997.
The order changed in 2001: Ella moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #86 and #80; by 2001 that had become #82 and #90.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Ella #12, Jennifer #354.
New Zealand · Girls9 shared years, 1993–2003
Ella held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Jennifer in 1.
Highest recorded here: Ella #3 in 2003, Jennifer #67 in 1993.
The order changed in 1995: Ella moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #99 and #67; by 1995 that had become #74 and #82.
Most recent shared year, 2003: Ella #3, Jennifer #84.
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 | Jennifer |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | From a Cornish form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar (Guinevere), combining 'gwyn' and 'hwyfar'. Confined mainly to Cornwall until George Bernard Shaw's 1906 play The Doctor's Dilemma sparked wider adoption. |
| Origin | Germanic, diminutive form | Welsh, via Cornish transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛl.ə/ | /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ɪ.fəɹ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| 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 | Norway · Girls #4 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #413 (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 | medium |
What the data shows
- Ella is recorded with a Germanic, diminutive form origin, while Jennifer is recorded with a Welsh, via Cornish transmission origin.
- Ella has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Jennifer.
- Ella's recorded meaning differs from Jennifer'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
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
Jennifer
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #331 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1952–2003
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1956 (recorded 1952–2003).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #413 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls