Emil vs Finn
Emil and Finncompared 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.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Emil was ranked #2 and Finn #153 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Emil was ranked #468 and Finn #15 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Emil was ranked #619 and Finn #17 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2014, Emil was ranked #398 and Finn #40 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Emil was ranked #771 and Finn #74 among boys in England and Wales.
Emil and Finn over time
Emil and Finn appear together in 3 published lists, across 130 years of shared records. Finn held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Emil in 1.
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.
Emil reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Finn in 1. 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 1980, Emil moved ahead of Finn in Norway · Boys — #217 and #188 the year before became #192 and #207.
- Longest-running competitions
Emil and Finn were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #771 and #74.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Emil held the stronger position in 46 of those years, Finn in 35.
Highest recorded here: Emil #1 in 2008, Finn #31 in 1945.
The order changed in 1980: Emil moved ahead. In 1979 they stood at #217 and #188; by 1980 that had become #192 and #207.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emil #2, Finn #153.
England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Emil held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Finn in 30.
Highest recorded here: Emil #506 in 2015, Finn #72 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emil #771, Finn #74.
Republic of Ireland · Boys19 shared years, 2006–2025
Emil held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Finn in 19.
Highest recorded here: Emil #310 in 2012, Finn #6 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emil #468, Finn #15.
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 | Emil | Finn |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From the Roman family name Aemilius, itself from Latin 'aemulus' meaning 'rival'. | Traditionally associated with the Irish hero Fionn mac Cumhaill; functions as the usual Anglicised spelling of the Irish name Fionn. |
| Origin | Latin, widely used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German and other European traditions | Irish |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeː.mɪl/ | /fɪn/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #2 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #15 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Emil is recorded with a Latin, widely used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German and other European traditions origin, while Finn is recorded with a Irish origin.
- Emil has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Finn.
- Emil's recorded meaning differs from Finn's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Emil
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #271 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 2008 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #771 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys
Finn
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #31 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1982–2025
Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2020 (recorded 1982–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #74 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys