Ellie vs Rebecca
Ellie and Rebeccacompared 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 Rebecca #141 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ellie was ranked #18 and Rebecca #337 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Ellie was ranked #33 and Rebecca #485 among girls in Norway.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ellie was ranked #35 and Rebecca #431 among girls in Scotland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2011, Ellie was ranked #83 and Rebecca #85 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2008, Ellie was ranked #89 and Rebecca #94 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Ellie was ranked #119 and Rebecca #413 among girls in England and Wales.
Ellie and Rebecca over time
Ellie and Rebecca appear together in 5 published lists, across 118 years of shared records. Ellie held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Rebecca in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 5 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Rebecca reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Ellie 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 2001, Ellie moved ahead of Rebecca in England and Wales · Girls — #15 and #12 the year before became #11 and #16.
- Longest-running competitions
Ellie and Rebecca were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #119 and #413.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls34 shared years, 1987–2025
Ellie held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Rebecca in 18.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #6 in 2023, Rebecca #7 in 1995.
The order changed in 2010: Ellie moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #36 and #35; by 2010 that had become #28 and #48.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellie #15, Rebecca #141.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Ellie held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Rebecca in 5.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #2 in 2003, Rebecca #8 in 1996.
The order changed in 2001: Ellie moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #15 and #12; by 2001 that had become #11 and #16.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellie #119, Rebecca #413.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Ellie held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Rebecca in 6.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #3 in 2005, Rebecca #2 in 1999.
The order changed in 2003: Ellie moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #18 and #10; by 2003 that had become #6 and #15.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ellie #18, Rebecca #337.
Norway · Girls18 shared years, 2005–2025
Ellie held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Rebecca in 6.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #30 in 2021, Rebecca #118 in 2005.
The order changed in 2013: Ellie moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #287 and #231; by 2013 that had become #202 and #220.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellie #33, Rebecca #485.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls8 shared years, 1992–2008
Ellie held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Rebecca in 3.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #55 in 2006, Rebecca #4 in 1992.
The order changed in 2004: Ellie moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #86 and #63; by 2004 that had become #73 and #76.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Ellie #89, Rebecca #94.
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 | Rebecca |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A diminutive of several longer names, particularly Eleanor, Ellen and Elizabeth. | Traditionally associated with concepts of 'joining', 'tying', or a 'team/yoke' — a binding or connecting sense, from a Semitic root about fastening things together. |
| Origin | Various, diminutive form | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhebekka |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛl.i/ | /rəˈbɛkə/ |
| 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 | Republic of Ireland · Girls #15 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #141 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| 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 Rebecca is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhebekka origin.
- Ellie has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Rebecca.
- Ellie's recorded meaning differs from Rebecca'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
Rebecca
Popularity journey
First recorded1955
First recorded at #440 among girls in Norway in 1955 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1966–2008
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1976 (recorded 1966–2008).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #413 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls