Ellie vs Sophia
Ellie and Sophiacompared 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.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Ellie was ranked #32 and Sophia #6 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ellie was ranked #35 and Sophia #6 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ellie was ranked #18 and Sophia #8 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ellie was ranked #88 and Sophia #13 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ellie was ranked #15 and Sophia #14 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Ellie was ranked #40 and Sophia #29 among girls in New Zealand.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Ellie was ranked #33 and Sophia #88 among girls in Norway.
Ellie and Sophia over time
Ellie and Sophia appear together in 6 published lists, across 147 years of shared records. Sophia held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Ellie in 2.
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.
Ellie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Sophia 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 2010, Sophia moved ahead of Ellie in England and Wales · Girls — #27 and #35 the year before became #29 and #27.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ellie and Sophia changed places 8 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1987 and 2025, ending at #15 and #14.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Ellie and Sophia averaged 49.6 places apart, ending at #88 and #13.
- Longest-running competitions
Ellie and Sophia were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 34 years, from 1987 to 2025, ending at #15 and #14.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Ellie #25 in 2023, Sophia #6 in 2025.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls34 shared years, 1987–2025
Ellie held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Sophia in 16.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #6 in 2023, Sophia #13 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellie #15, Sophia #14.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ellie held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Sophia in 15.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #2 in 2003, Sophia #7 in 2019.
The order changed in 2010: Sophia moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #27 and #35; by 2010 that had become #29 and #27.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ellie #88, Sophia #13.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Ellie held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Sophia in 13.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #3 in 2005, Sophia #4 in 2011.
The order changed in 2024: Sophia moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #16 and #17; by 2024 that had become #18 and #8.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ellie #18, Sophia #8.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls24 shared years, 2002–2025
Ellie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophia in 24.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #25 in 2023, Sophia #6 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellie #32, Sophia #6.
Norway · Girls19 shared years, 2005–2025
Ellie held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Sophia in 10.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #30 in 2021, Sophia #59 in 2014.
The order changed in 2017: Ellie moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #82 and #78; by 2017 that had become #62 and #88.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellie #33, Sophia #88.
New Zealand · Girls13 shared years, 2011–2023
Ellie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophia in 13.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #31 in 2021, Sophia #9 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Ellie #40, Sophia #29.
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 | Sophia |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A diminutive of several longer names, particularly Eleanor, Ellen and Elizabeth. | Wisdom. |
| Origin | Various, diminutive form | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛl.i/ | /soʊˈfiə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Sophie, Sofia |
| 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 #6 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Ellie is recorded with a Various, diminutive form origin, while Sophia is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Ellie and Sophia both have 2 syllables.
- Ellie's recorded meaning differs from Sophia's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Ellie a "medium" Data Confidence level and Sophia a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
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
Sophia
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #325 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2011 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #6 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls