Namewise

Ella vs Mila

Ella and Milacompared 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 Mila #102 among girls in Norway.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2023, Ella was ranked #9 and Mila #11 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Ella was ranked #9 and Mila #30 among girls in Scotland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2025, Ella was ranked #11 and Mila #21 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Ella was ranked #12 and Mila #150 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Ella was ranked #17 and Mila #80 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Ella was ranked #46 and Mila #40 among girls in England and Wales.

Ella and Mila over time

Ella and Mila appear together in 6 published lists, across 119 years of shared records. Ella held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Mila 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, and Mila 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 2025, Mila moved ahead of Ella in England and Wales · Girls — #39 and #46 the year before became #46 and #40.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Ella and Mila changed places 6 times in New Zealand · Girls between 2010 and 2023, ending at #9 and #11.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Ella and Mila were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #46 and #40.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Ella #7 in 2022, Mila #18 in 2022.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Ella held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Mila in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Ella #6 in 2015, Mila #35 in 2023.

    The order changed in 2025: Mila moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #39 and #46; by 2025 that had become #46 and #40.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ella #46, Mila #40.

  • Norway · Girls23 shared years, 1981–2025

    Ella held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Mila in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Ella #3 in 2019, Mila #82 in 2019.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ella #4, Mila #102.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 2002–2025

    Ella held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Mila in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Ella #3 in 2007, Mila #58 in 2022.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ella #17, Mila #80.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls15 shared years, 2011–2025

    Ella held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Mila in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Ella #7 in 2022, Mila #18 in 2022.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ella #11, Mila #21.

  • New Zealand · Girls14 shared years, 2010–2023

    Ella held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Mila in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Ella #5 in 2016, Mila #4 in 2022.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Ella #9, Mila #11.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls14 shared years, 2011–2024

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

    Highest recorded here: Ella #2 in 2015, Mila #72 in 2018.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Ella #12, Mila #150.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Ella

Pairs where Ella shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Mila

Pairs where Mila shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

  • Mila vs Aurora

    Mila and Aurora both rose over the same years in 5 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; New South Wales, Australia · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Norway · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Mila · Aurora · 33 shared years, 1982–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Mila vs Daisy

    Mila and Daisy both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; New South Wales, Australia · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Mila · Daisy · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Mila vs Elsie

    Mila and Elsie both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; New South Wales, Australia · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Mila · Elsie · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Freya vs Mila

    Freya and Mila both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; New South Wales, Australia · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Freya · Mila · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Moved together in several countries

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — close in one country, far apart in another.

All close in one country, far apart in another→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Ella, Mila
FieldEllaMila
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.Commonly interpreted as 'gracious, dear', from the Slavic element milu. Originally used as a short form of longer names containing that element before becoming an independent given name.
OriginGermanic, diminutive formSlavic
Pronunciation/ˈɛl.ə//ˈmi.ɫa/
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, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #4 (2025)New South Wales, Australia · Girls #21 (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 Mila is recorded with a Slavic origin.
  • Ella and Mila both have 2 syllables.
  • Ella's recorded meaning differs from Mila'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

  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 #46 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Mila

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1981

    First recorded at #653 among girls in Norway in 1981 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded2010–2023

    Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in New Zealand, in 2022 (recorded 2010–2023).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #40 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls