Namewise

Emil vs Olivier

Emil and Oliviercompared 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 Olivier #513 among boys in Norway.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2014, Emil was ranked #398 and Olivier #398 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Emil was ranked #468 and Olivier #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Emil was ranked #619 and Olivier #727 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Emil was ranked #737 and Olivier #898 among boys in England and Wales.

Emil and Olivier over time

Emil and Olivier appear together in 3 published lists, across 75 years of shared records. Olivier 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.

Olivier reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Emil 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.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Emil held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Olivier in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Emil #506 in 2015, Olivier #266 in 2010.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Emil #737, Olivier #898.

  • Norway · Boys27 shared years, 19692025

    Emil held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Olivier in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Emil #1 in 2008, Olivier #270 in 2017.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emil #2, Olivier #513.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys19 shared years, 20062025

    Emil held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Olivier in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Emil #310 in 2012, Olivier #191 in 2008.

    The order changed in 2025: Emil moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #770 and #362; by 2025 that had become #468 and #829.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emil #468, Olivier #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

Side-by-side comparison of Emil, Olivier
FieldEmilOlivier
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/Not yet recorded
Syllables23
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
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 · Boys #513 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Emil has a recorded origin (Latin, widely used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German and other European traditions); Olivier does not have one recorded yet.
  • Emil has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Olivier.
  • A meaning is recorded for Emil; Olivier doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, 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 #2 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys

Olivier

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1969

    First recorded at #533 among boys in Norway in 1969 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded2005–2025

    Highest recorded position: #191 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2008 (recorded 2005–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #513 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys