Emilie vs Thea
Emilie and Theacompared 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 · Girls
In 2025, Emilie was ranked #16 and Thea #50 among girls in Norway.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Emilie was ranked #176 and Thea #65 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Emilie was ranked #837 and Thea #66 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Emilie was ranked #288 and Thea #75 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Emilie was ranked #608 and Thea #207 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Emilie and Thea over time
Emilie and Thea appear together in 4 published lists, across 124 years of shared records. Thea held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Emilie in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Emilie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Thea 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 moved ahead of the other
In 2013, Thea moved ahead of Emilie in Northern Ireland · Girls — #297 and #451 the year before became #178 and #178.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Emilie and Thea changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #837 and #66.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 48 shared years in Norway · Girls, Emilie and Thea averaged 49.1 places apart, ending at #16 and #50.
- Mirrored each other
Over 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Thea rose about as far as Emilie fell — from #354 and #470 in 1996 to #837 and #66 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
Emilie and Thea were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 48 years, from 1977 to 2025, ending at #16 and #50.
List by list
Norway · Girls48 shared years, 1977–2025
Emilie held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Thea in 24.
Highest recorded here: Emilie #1 in 1999, Thea #1 in 2006.
The order changed in 2012: Emilie moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #6 and #4; by 2012 that had become #6 and #10.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emilie #16, Thea #50.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Emilie held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Thea in 24.
Highest recorded here: Emilie #232 in 2013, Thea #46 in 2019.
The order changed in 2005: Thea moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #251 and #256; by 2005 that had become #282 and #249.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emilie #837, Thea #66.
Republic of Ireland · Girls29 shared years, 1993–2025
Emilie held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Thea in 18.
Highest recorded here: Emilie #236 in 2010, Thea #136 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emilie #608, Thea #207.
Northern Ireland · Girls18 shared years, 2004–2024
Emilie held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Thea in 12.
Highest recorded here: Emilie #136 in 2015, Thea #40 in 2019.
The order changed in 2013: Thea moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #297 and #451; by 2013 that had become #178 and #178.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emilie #288, Thea #75.
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 | Emilie | Thea |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The German, Scandinavian and Czech feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily). | A short form of Dorothea, Theodora, Theresa and other similar-sounding Greek-rooted names. |
| Origin | Latin, via German/Scandinavian transmission | Greek (via Germanic/Scandinavian transmission) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeh.mee.lee.eh/ | /ˈteː.a/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Emilia, Emelie, Mille, Milly | 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 · Girls #16 (2025) | Norway · Girls #50 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Emilie is recorded with a Latin, via German/Scandinavian transmission origin, while Thea is recorded with a Greek (via Germanic/Scandinavian transmission) origin.
- Emilie has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Thea.
- Emilie's recorded meaning differs from Thea'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 Emilie a "high" Data Confidence level and Thea a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Emilie
Popularity journey
First recorded1958
First recorded at #383 among girls in Norway in 1958 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1958–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Norway, in 1999 (recorded 1958–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #16 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls
Thea
Popularity journey
First recorded1950
First recorded at #380 among girls in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1950–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Norway, in 2006 (recorded 1950–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #50 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls