Ella vs Orla
Ella and Orlacompared 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.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ella was ranked #9 and Orla #19 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ella was ranked #12 and Orla #144 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ella was ranked #17 and Orla #189 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ella was ranked #39 and Orla #58 among girls in England and Wales.
Ella and Orla over time
Ella and Orla appear together in 3 published lists, across 103 years of shared records. Ella held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Orla in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Orla reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Ella 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 took the other's place near the top
In Northern Ireland · Girls, Ella moved into the top 50 at #28 in 2003 as Orla fell out of it to #54, having been #41 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2003, Ella moved ahead of Orla in Northern Ireland · Girls — #45 and #41 the year before became #28 and #54.
- Mirrored each other
Over 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Ella rose about as far as Orla fell — from #204 and #63 in 1997 to #12 and #144 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
Ella and Orla were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 46 years, from 1970 to 2025, ending at #17 and #189.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls46 shared years, 1970–2025
Ella held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Orla in 22.
Highest recorded here: Ella #3 in 2007, Orla #22 in 1980.
The order changed in 2002: Ella moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #48 and #38; by 2002 that had become #28 and #40.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ella #17, Orla #189.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ella held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Orla in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ella #6 in 2015, Orla #56 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ella #39, Orla #58.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Ella held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Orla in 6.
Highest recorded here: Ella #2 in 2015, Orla #33 in 2000.
The order changed in 2003: Ella moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #45 and #41; by 2003 that had become #28 and #54.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ella #12, Orla #144.
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 | Orla |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | The Anglicized form of Órlaith, combining Irish 'ór' (gold) with 'flaith' (sovereignty, royalty) — traditionally read as 'golden princess' or 'golden sovereignty'. |
| Origin | Germanic, diminutive form | Irish |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛl.ə/ | /ˈɔɹ.lə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Órlaith, Orlagh, Órfhlaith |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #4 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #189 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| 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 Orla is recorded with a Irish origin.
- Ella and Orla both have 2 syllables.
- Ella's recorded meaning differs from Orla's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
- The available evidence gives Ella a "medium" Data Confidence level and Orla 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
Orla
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #52 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #189 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls