Namewise

Emil vs Kjetil

Emil and Kjetilcompared 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 2022, Emil was ranked #1 and Kjetil #420 among boys in Norway.

Emil and Kjetil over time

Emil and Kjetil appear together in 1 published list, across 75 years of shared records. Kjetil held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Emil 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.

Kjetil reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 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 took the other's place near the top

    In Norway · Boys, Emil moved into the top 50 at #34 in 1990 as Kjetil fell out of it to #51, having been #47 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1990, Emil moved ahead of Kjetil in Norway · Boys — #64 and #47 the year before became #34 and #51.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 75 shared years in Norway · Boys, Emil rose about as far as Kjetil fell — from #271 and #200 in 1945 to #1 and #420 in 2022.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Emil and Kjetil were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 75 years, from 1945 to 2022, ending at #1 and #420.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys75 shared years, 1945–2022

    Emil held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Kjetil in 43.

    Highest recorded here: Emil #1 in 2008, Kjetil #14 in 1971.

    The order changed in 1990: Emil moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #64 and #47; by 1990 that had become #34 and #51.

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Emil #1, Kjetil #420.

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.

Other comparisons involving Kjetil

Pairs where Kjetil shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

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.

Norway overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Emil, Kjetil
FieldEmilKjetil
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningFrom the Roman family name Aemilius, itself from Latin 'aemulus' meaning 'rival'.Not yet recorded
OriginLatin, widely used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German and other European traditionsNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈeː.mɪl/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NONO
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Boys #2 (2025)Norway · Boys #420 (2022)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/10040/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Emil has a recorded origin (Latin, widely used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German and other European traditions); Kjetil does not have one recorded yet.
  • Emil and Kjetil both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Emil; Kjetil doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in NO.

How each name got here

Emil

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 2008 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #771 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Kjetil

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #200 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1945–2022

    Highest recorded position: #14 among boys in Norway, in 1971 (recorded 1945–2022).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2022

    Most recently recorded at #420 among boys in Norway, in 2022.

    Norway · Boys