Ely vs Nicola
Ely and Nicolacompared 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2023, Ely was ranked #4991 and Nicola #4107 among boys in England and Wales.
Ely and Nicola over time
Ely and Nicola appear together in 1 published list, across 11 years of shared records. Ely held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Nicola in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Nicola reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Ely 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ely and Nicola changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2023, ending at #4991 and #4107.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys11 shared years, 1996–2023
Ely held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Nicola in 3.
Highest recorded here: Ely #2172 in 2017, Nicola #2863 in 1996.
The order changed in 2023: Nicola moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #2228 and #3848; by 2023 that had become #4991 and #4107.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Ely #4991, Nicola #4107.
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 | Ely | Nicola |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | The feminine form of Nicholas, from the Greek elements 'nike' (victory) and 'laos' (people). |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Greek, feminine form |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈnɪk.ə.lə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #2671 (2024) | Scotland · Girls #790 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 60/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Nicola has a recorded origin (Greek, feminine form); Ely does not have one recorded yet.
- Ely has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Nicola.
- A meaning is recorded for Nicola; Ely doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
How each name got here
Ely
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #2357 among boys in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded2004–2016
Highest recorded position: #506 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2004 (recorded 2004–2016).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2671 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys
Nicola
Popularity journey
First recorded1957
First recorded at #97 among girls in New Zealand in 1957 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Girls
Highest recorded1957–1996
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New Zealand, in 1975 (recorded 1957–1996).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2253 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls