Emil vs Robert
Emil and Robertcompared 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 Robert #363 among boys in Norway.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Emil was ranked #619 and Robert #80 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2014, Emil was ranked #398 and Robert #98 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Emil was ranked #468 and Robert #104 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Emil was ranked #737 and Robert #151 among boys in England and Wales.
Emil and Robert over time
Emil and Robert appear together in 3 published lists, across 129 years of shared records. Robert held the stronger position in more years in 3 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.
Robert 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 took the other's place near the top
In Norway · Boys, Emil moved into the top 50 at #34 in 1990 as Robert fell out of it to #59, having been #49 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1990, Emil moved ahead of Robert in Norway · Boys — #64 and #49 the year before became #34 and #59.
- Longest-running competitions
Emil and Robert were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #2 and #363.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Emil held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Robert in 45.
Highest recorded here: Emil #1 in 2008, Robert #25 in 1974.
The order changed in 1990: Emil moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #64 and #49; by 1990 that had become #34 and #59.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emil #2, Robert #363.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Emil held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Robert in 29.
Highest recorded here: Emil #506 in 2015, Robert #30 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emil #737, Robert #151.
Republic of Ireland · Boys19 shared years, 2006–2025
Emil held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Robert in 19.
Highest recorded here: Emil #310 in 2012, Robert #37 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emil #468, Robert #104.
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 | Robert |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From the Roman family name Aemilius, itself from Latin 'aemulus' meaning 'rival'. | From Germanic Hrodebert, combining 'hruod' (fame) with 'beraht' (bright) — 'bright fame'. Introduced to Britain by the Normans, later borne by Robert the Bruce. |
| Origin | Latin, widely used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German and other European traditions | Germanic |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeː.mɪl/ | /ˈɹɑb.əɹt/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| 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, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #2 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #104 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Emil is recorded with a Latin, widely used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German and other European traditions origin, while Robert is recorded with a Germanic origin.
- Emil and Robert both have 2 syllables.
- Emil's recorded meaning differs from Robert's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, 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
Robert
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #126 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2003
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–2003).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #363 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys