Emil vs Karl
Emil and Karlcompared 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 Karl #179 among boys in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2014, Emil was ranked #398 and Karl #398 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Emil was ranked #468 and Karl #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Emil was ranked #737 and Karl #2088 among boys in England and Wales.
Emil and Karl over time
Emil and Karl appear together in 3 published lists, across 127 years of shared records. Karl held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Emil in 0.
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.
Karl reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Emil 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1988, Emil moved ahead of Karl in Norway · Boys — #96 and #79 the year before became #69 and #78.
- Longest-running competitions
Emil and Karl were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #2 and #179.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Emil held the stronger position in 38 of those years, Karl in 43.
Highest recorded here: Emil #1 in 2008, Karl #33 in 1946.
The order changed in 1988: Emil moved ahead. In 1987 they stood at #96 and #79; by 1988 that had become #69 and #78.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emil #2, Karl #179.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Emil held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Karl in 16.
Highest recorded here: Emil #506 in 2015, Karl #110 in 1996.
The order changed in 2012: Emil moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #631 and #626; by 2012 that had become #682 and #783.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emil #737, Karl #2088.
Republic of Ireland · Boys17 shared years, 2006–2025
Emil held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Karl in 12.
Highest recorded here: Emil #310 in 2012, Karl #129 in 2006.
The order changed in 2025: Emil moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #770 and #516; by 2025 that had become #468 and #829.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emil #468, Karl #829.
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 | Karl |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #2 (2025) | Norway · Boys #179 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| 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 has a recorded origin (Latin, widely used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German and other European traditions); Karl does not have one recorded yet.
- Emil has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Karl.
- A meaning is recorded for Emil; Karl doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, 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 #2 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Karl
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #35 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1962–1994
Highest recorded position: #33 among boys in New Zealand, in 1973 (recorded 1962–1994).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #179 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys