Namewise

Emil vs Magnus

Emil and Magnuscompared 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 Magnus #17 among boys in Norway.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Emil was ranked #619 and Magnus #130 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Emil was ranked #771 and Magnus #432 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2019, Emil was ranked #466 and Magnus #764 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Emil and Magnus over time

Emil and Magnus appear together in 2 published lists, across 111 years of shared records. Magnus held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Emil in 0.

The order between them changed and held in 2 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, and Magnus 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.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025

    Emil held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Magnus in 62.

    Highest recorded here: Emil #1 in 2008, Magnus #3 in 2013.

    The order changed in 2014: Emil moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #6 and #3; by 2014 that had become #2 and #3.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emil #2, Magnus #17.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Emil held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Magnus in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Emil #506 in 2015, Magnus #335 in 2022.

    The order changed in 2012: Magnus moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #631 and #718; by 2012 that had become #682 and #625.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emil #771, Magnus #432.

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 Magnus

Pairs where Magnus 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 moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

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, Magnus
FieldEmilMagnus
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningFrom the Roman family name Aemilius, itself from Latin 'aemulus' meaning 'rival'.Directly 'great' or 'mighty' in Latin.
OriginLatin, widely used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German and other European traditionsLatin
Pronunciation/ˈeː.mɪl//ˈmæɡnəs/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedMags
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NOGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Boys #2 (2025)Norway #12 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Emil is recorded with a Latin, widely used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German and other European traditions origin, while Magnus is recorded with a Latin origin.
  • Emil and Magnus both have 2 syllables.
  • Emil's recorded meaning differs from Magnus's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
  • The available evidence gives Emil a "medium" Data Confidence level and Magnus a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

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

Magnus

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #125 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: #3 among boys in Norway, in 2013 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #432 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys