Emil vs Gunnar
Emil and Gunnar compared 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 Gunnar #250 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Emil was ranked #771 and Gunnar #3256 among boys in England and Wales.
Emil and Gunnar over time
Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.
Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.
Emil and Gunnar over time
Emil and Gunnar appear together in 2 published lists, across 96 years of shared records. Emil held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Gunnar 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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.
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 1985, Emil moved ahead of Gunnar in Norway · Boys — #151 and #137 the year before became #150 and #185.
- Longest-running competitions
Emil and Gunnar were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #2 and #250.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Emil held the stronger position in 41 of those years, Gunnar in 40.
Highest recorded here: Emil #1 in 2008, Gunnar #10 in 1946.
The order changed in 1985: Emil moved ahead. In 1984 they stood at #151 and #137; by 1985 that had become #150 and #185.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emil #2, Gunnar #250.
England and Wales · Boys15 shared years, 2009–2025
Emil held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Gunnar in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emil #506 in 2015, Gunnar #1786 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emil #771, Gunnar #3256.
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.
Where to go next
Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.
Other comparisons involving Emil
Pairs where Emil shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Emil vs Aksel
Emil and Aksel were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #2 and #25.
Emil · Aksel · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Emil vs Anders
Emil and Anders were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #2 and #293.
Emil · Anders · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Emil vs Arne
Emil and Arne were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #2 and #222.
Emil · Arne · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Emil vs Bjørn
Emil and Bjørn were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #2 and #56.
Emil · Bjørn · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
Other comparisons involving Gunnar
Pairs where Gunnar shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Aksel vs Gunnar
Aksel and Gunnar were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #25 and #250.
Aksel · Gunnar · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Anders vs Gunnar
Anders and Gunnar were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #293 and #250.
Anders · Gunnar · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Andreas vs Gunnar
Andreas and Gunnar were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #96 and #250.
Andreas · Gunnar · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Arne vs Gunnar
Arne and Gunnar were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #222 and #250.
Arne · Gunnar · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
Other pairs with the same kind of relationship
Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — longest-running competitions.
- Anders vs Aksel
Anders and Aksel were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #293 and #25.
Anders · Aksel · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Andreas vs Aksel
Andreas and Aksel were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #96 and #25.
Andreas · Aksel · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Arne vs Aksel
Arne and Aksel were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #222 and #25.
Arne · Aksel · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Bjørn vs Aksel
Bjørn and Aksel were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #56 and #25.
Bjørn · Aksel · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
Other pairs from Norway lists
Pairs measured inside Norway's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.
- Ingrid vs Wenche
In 1945 they stood at #27 and #22 in Norway · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2008 they were #6 and #621.
Ingrid · Wenche · 58 shared years, 1945–2008 · Started together, ended far apart
- Anna vs Torill
In 1945 they stood at #38 and #39 in Norway · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2004 they were #10 and #599.
Anna · Torill · 55 shared years, 1945–2004 · Started together, ended far apart
- Ingrid vs Vigdis
In 1945 they stood at #27 and #32 in Norway · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2006 they were #6 and #583.
Ingrid · Vigdis · 52 shared years, 1945–2006 · Started together, ended far apart
- Anna vs Vigdis
In 1945 they stood at #38 and #32 in Norway · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2006 they were #10 and #583.
Anna · Vigdis · 52 shared years, 1945–2006 · Started together, ended far apart
Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s
Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.
- Grace vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #41 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2025 they were #27 and #4867.
Grace · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Ella vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #56 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2025 they were #46 and #4867.
Ella · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Jasmine vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #55 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #102 and #4867.
Jasmine · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Anna vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #47 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2025 they were #142 and #4867.
Anna · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
Side by side
| Field | Emil | Gunnar |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From the Roman family name Aemilius, itself from Latin 'aemulus' meaning 'rival'. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Latin, widely used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German and other European traditions | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeː.mɪl/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway | England and Wales, Norway |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #2 (2025) | Norway · Boys #250 (2025) |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Emil has a recorded origin (Latin, widely used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German and other European traditions); Gunnar does not have one recorded yet.
- Emil and Gunnar both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Emil; Gunnar doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, 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
Gunnar
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #13 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: #10 among boys in Norway, in 1946 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #3256 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys