Ellie vs Maria
Ellie and Mariacompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ellie was ranked #15 and Maria #74 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ellie was ranked #18 and Maria #97 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Ellie was ranked #33 and Maria #62 among girls in Norway.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ellie was ranked #35 and Maria #120 among girls in Scotland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2016, Ellie was ranked #59 and Maria #78 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Ellie was ranked #119 and Maria #88 among girls in England and Wales.
Ellie and Maria over time
Ellie and Maria appear together in 4 published lists, across 111 years of shared records. Ellie held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Maria in 1.
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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 2 of the lists they share.
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 Norway · Girls, Ellie moved into the top 50 at #30 in 2021 as Maria fell out of it to #55, having been #47 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2025, Maria moved ahead of Ellie in England and Wales · Girls — #88 and #91 the year before became #119 and #88.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Ellie and Maria averaged 55.6 places apart, ending at #119 and #88.
- Mirrored each other
Over 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Ellie rose about as far as Maria fell — from #147 and #61 in 1997 to #18 and #97 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
Ellie and Maria were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #119 and #88.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls34 shared years, 1987–2025
Ellie held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Maria in 10.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #6 in 2023, Maria #29 in 1987.
The order changed in 2002: Ellie moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #89 and #58; by 2002 that had become #46 and #53.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellie #15, Maria #74.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Ellie held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Maria in 4.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #2 in 2003, Maria #66 in 2018.
The order changed in 2025: Maria moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #88 and #91; by 2025 that had become #119 and #88.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellie #119, Maria #88.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Ellie held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Maria in 3.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #3 in 2005, Maria #49 in 2009.
The order changed in 2000: Ellie moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #86 and #51; by 2000 that had become #47 and #68.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ellie #18, Maria #97.
Norway · Girls19 shared years, 2005–2025
Ellie held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Maria in 14.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #30 in 2021, Maria #7 in 2005.
The order changed in 2021: Ellie moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #52 and #47; by 2021 that had become #30 and #55.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellie #33, Maria #62.
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 | Ellie | Maria |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A diminutive of several longer names, particularly Eleanor, Ellen and Elizabeth. | The Latin form of Greek Maria, from Hebrew Miryam (see Mary). |
| Origin | Various, diminutive form | Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛl.i/ | /mɑ.ˈriː.ɑ/ |
| 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 | Republic of Ireland · Girls #15 (2025) | Norway · Girls #62 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ellie is recorded with a Various, diminutive form origin, while Maria is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission origin.
- Ellie and Maria both have 2 syllables.
- Ellie's recorded meaning differs from Maria'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
Ellie
Popularity journey
First recorded1987
First recorded at #488 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1987 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in England and Wales, in 2003 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #119 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Maria
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #126 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Norway, in 1982 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #88 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls