Ellie vs Ruby
Ellie and Rubycompared 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 Ruby #36 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Ellie was ranked #40 and Ruby #17 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ellie was ranked #18 and Ruby #38 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Ellie was ranked #32 and Ruby #28 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Ellie was ranked #33 and Ruby #450 among girls in Norway.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ellie was ranked #35 and Ruby #34 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ellie was ranked #88 and Ruby #41 among girls in England and Wales.
Ellie and Ruby over time
Ellie and Ruby appear together in 5 published lists, across 126 years of shared records. Ruby held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Ellie in 2.
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.
Ruby reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Ellie 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 2006, Ruby moved ahead of Ellie in England and Wales · Girls — #5 and #12 the year before became #10 and #4.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ellie and Ruby changed places 4 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1998 and 2024, ending at #18 and #38.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Ellie and Ruby averaged 38.6 places apart, ending at #88 and #41.
- Longest-running competitions
Ellie and Ruby were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 33 years, from 1991 to 2025, ending at #15 and #36.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls33 shared years, 1991–2025
Ellie held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Ruby in 6.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #6 in 2023, Ruby #16 in 2013.
The order changed in 2014: Ellie moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #23 and #16; by 2014 that had become #19 and #22.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellie #15, Ruby #36.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ellie held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Ruby in 19.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #2 in 2003, Ruby #1 in 2007.
The order changed in 2006: Ruby moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #5 and #12; by 2006 that had become #10 and #4.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ellie #88, Ruby #41.
Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1998–2024
Ellie held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Ruby in 2.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #3 in 2005, Ruby #18 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ellie #18, Ruby #38.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls24 shared years, 2002–2025
Ellie held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Ruby in 23.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #25 in 2023, Ruby #2 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellie #32, Ruby #28.
New Zealand · Girls13 shared years, 2011–2023
Ellie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Ruby in 13.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #31 in 2021, Ruby #1 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Ellie #40, Ruby #17.
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 | Ruby |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A diminutive of several longer names, particularly Eleanor, Ellen and Elizabeth. | Taken from the gemstone name; the ruby is the traditional July birthstone. As a given name it came into use in the 16th century. |
| Origin | Various, diminutive form | English, ultimately from Latin rubeus ('red') |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛl.i/ | /ˈruːbi/ |
| 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) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #28 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| 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 Ruby is recorded with a English, ultimately from Latin rubeus ('red') origin.
- Ellie and Ruby both have 2 syllables.
- Ellie's recorded meaning differs from Ruby'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 recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in England and Wales, in 2003 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #32 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Ruby
Popularity journey
First recorded1991
First recorded at #515 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1991 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2007 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #28 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls