Namewise

Emily vs Emma

Emily and Emmacompared 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, Emily was ranked #71 and Emma #1 among girls in Norway.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Emily was ranked #5 and Emma #84 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Emily was ranked #6 and Emma #28 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Emily was ranked #7 and Emma #53 among girls in Scotland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2023, Emily was ranked #30 and Emma #67 among girls in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Emily was ranked #34 and Emma #69 among girls in England and Wales.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2025, Emily was ranked #61 and Emma #65 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

Emily and Emma over time

Emily and Emma appear together in 6 published lists, across 266 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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.

Emma reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Emily 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 2009, Emily moved ahead of Emma in New Zealand · Girls — #8 and #7 the year before became #6 and #9.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Emily and Emma changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2025, ending at #6 and #28.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Emily and Emma averaged 33.9 places apart, ending at #34 and #69.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Emily and Emma were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 49 years, from 1977 to 2025, ending at #61 and #65.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Emily held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Emma in 44.

    Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2011, Emma #1 in 2003.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #6, Emma #28.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls49 shared years, 1977–2025

    Emily held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Emma in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 1998, Emma #3 in 1988.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #61, Emma #65.

  • New Zealand · Girls49 shared years, 1975–2023

    Emily held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Emma in 34.

    Highest recorded here: Emily #2 in 2013, Emma #1 in 2003.

    The order changed in 2009: Emily moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #8 and #7; by 2009 that had become #6 and #9.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Emily #30, Emma #67.

  • Norway · Girls49 shared years, 1969–2025

    Emily held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 49.

    Highest recorded here: Emily #47 in 2014, Emma #1 in 2003.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #71, Emma #1.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Emily held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Emma in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2003, Emma #13 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Emily #34, Emma #69.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Emily held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Emma in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2013, Emma #1 in 2003.

    The order changed in 2010: Emily moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #7 and #6; by 2010 that had become #4 and #9.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Emily #5, Emma #84.

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 Emily

Pairs where Emily shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Emma

Pairs where Emma 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 Northern Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Northern Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Northern Ireland 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 Emily, Emma
FieldEmilyEmma
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningRival, striving, eager (traditional interpretation of the Latin root).A shortened form of Germanic names beginning with the element 'irmin' ('whole, great'), from Proto-Germanic *ermunaz. Introduced to England by Emma of Normandy, wife of King Ethelred II and later King Canute; further popularised by Jane Austen's 1816 novel Emma.
OriginLatin, from the Roman family name AemiliaGermanic
Pronunciation/ˈɛməli//ˈɛm.ə/
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesEm, Emmy, Emilie, Amelia, AemiliaNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #6 (2025)Norway · Girls #1 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Emily is recorded with a Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia origin, while Emma is recorded with a Germanic origin.
  • Emily has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Emma.
  • Emily's recorded meaning differs from Emma's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Emily a "high" Data Confidence level and Emma a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Emily

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #180 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2003 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #61 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

Emma

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #342 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1969–2023

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 2003 (recorded 1969–2023).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #65 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls