Namewise

Emil vs Tom

Emil and Tomcompared 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 Tom #388 among boys in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Emil was ranked #468 and Tom #48 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2014, Emil was ranked #398 and Tom #80 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Emil was ranked #619 and Tom #352 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Emil was ranked #771 and Tom #976 among boys in England and Wales.

Emil and Tom over time

Emil and Tom appear together in 3 published lists, across 130 years of shared records. Tom held the stronger position in more years in 3 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.

Tom 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

  • Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025

    Emil held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Tom in 45.

    Highest recorded here: Emil #1 in 2008, Tom #12 in 1960.

    The order changed in 1990: Emil moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #64 and #56; by 1990 that had become #34 and #60.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emil #2, Tom #388.

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

    Emil held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Tom in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Emil #506 in 2015, Tom #83 in 2000.

    The order changed in 2024: Emil moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #779 and #645; by 2024 that had become #737 and #757.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emil #771, Tom #976.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys19 shared years, 2006–2025

    Emil held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Tom in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Emil #310 in 2012, Tom #32 in 2018.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emil #468, Tom #48.

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 Tom

Pairs where Tom 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 — longest-running competitions.

All longest-running competitions→

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, Tom
FieldEmilTom
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
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NOGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Boys #2 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #48 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10095/100
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); Tom does not have one recorded yet.
  • Emil has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Tom.
  • A meaning is recorded for Emil; Tom 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 #771 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Tom

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #50 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: #12 among boys in Norway, in 1960 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #976 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys