Ella vs Sophie
Ella and Sophiecompared 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 Sophie #178 among girls in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ella was ranked #17 and Sophie #6 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Ella was ranked #9 and Sophie #14 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ella was ranked #9 and Sophie #17 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Ella was ranked #11 and Sophie #22 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ella was ranked #12 and Sophie #14 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Ella was ranked #46 and Sophie #63 among girls in England and Wales.
Ella and Sophie over time
Ella and Sophie appear together in 6 published lists, across 213 years of shared records. Sophie held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Ella 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.
Sophie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Ella in 2. 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 2015, Ella moved ahead of Sophie in England and Wales · Girls — #16 and #10 the year before became #6 and #11.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ella and Sophie changed places 5 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1998 and 2025, ending at #11 and #22.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Ella and Sophie averaged 13.7 places apart, ending at #46 and #63.
- Longest-running competitions
Ella and Sophie were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #46 and #63.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Ella #1 in 2007, Sophie #1 in 2008.
List by list
Norway · Girls51 shared years, 1960–2025
Ella held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Sophie in 16.
Highest recorded here: Ella #3 in 2019, Sophie #106 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ella #4, Sophie #178.
Republic of Ireland · Girls46 shared years, 1970–2025
Ella held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Sophie in 45.
Highest recorded here: Ella #3 in 2007, Sophie #1 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ella #17, Sophie #6.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Ella held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Sophie in 19.
Highest recorded here: Ella #6 in 2015, Sophie #1 in 1996.
The order changed in 2015: Ella moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #16 and #10; by 2015 that had become #6 and #11.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ella #46, Sophie #63.
New Zealand · Girls30 shared years, 1993–2023
Ella held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Sophie in 22.
Highest recorded here: Ella #1 in 2007, Sophie #1 in 2008.
The order changed in 2023: Ella moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #13 and #10; by 2023 that had become #9 and #14.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Ella #9, Sophie #14.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls28 shared years, 1998–2025
Ella held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Sophie in 14.
Highest recorded here: Ella #2 in 2007, Sophie #5 in 2004.
The order changed in 2017: Ella moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #17 and #16; by 2017 that had become #9 and #13.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ella #11, Sophie #22.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Ella held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Sophie in 23.
Highest recorded here: Ella #2 in 2015, Sophie #1 in 2010.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ella #12, Sophie #14.
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 | Sophie |
|---|---|---|
| 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 French form of Sophia, from Ancient Greek 'sophia' meaning 'wisdom'. |
| Origin | Germanic, diminutive form | Greek, via French transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛl.ə/ | /sɔ.fi/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| 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 #6 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| 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 Sophie is recorded with a Greek, via French transmission origin.
- Ella and Sophie both have 2 syllables.
- Ella's recorded meaning differs from Sophie'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 #46 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Sophie
Popularity journey
First recorded1960
First recorded at #492 among girls in Norway in 1960 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 1996 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #63 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls