Namewise

Emily vs Erin

Emily and Erincompared 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.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Emily was ranked #5 and Erin #25 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2004, Emily was ranked #6 and Erin #96 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Emily was ranked #6 and Erin #71 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Emily was ranked #7 and Erin #72 among girls in Scotland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2011, Emily was ranked #10 and Erin #81 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Emily was ranked #44 and Erin #72 among girls in England and Wales.

Emily and Erin over time

Emily and Erin appear together in 5 published lists, across 161 years of shared records. Emily held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Erin 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.

Erin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Emily 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

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls50 shared years, 1975–2025

    Emily held the stronger position in 50 of those years, Erin in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2011, Erin #34 in 2006.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #6, Erin #71.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls32 shared years, 1977–2011

    Emily held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Erin in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 1998, Erin #11 in 1984.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2011: Emily #10, Erin #81.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Emily held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Erin in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2003, Erin #27 in 2007.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #44, Erin #72.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Emily held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Erin in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2013, Erin #5 in 2009.

    The order changed in 2010: Emily moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #7 and #5; by 2010 that had become #4 and #17.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Emily #5, Erin #25.

  • New Zealand · Girls21 shared years, 1975–2004

    Emily held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Erin in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Emily #6 in 2004, Erin #36 in 1984.

    The order changed in 1986: Emily moved ahead. In 1985 they stood at #47 and #40; by 1986 that had become #40 and #53.

    Most recent shared year, 2004: Emily #6, Erin #96.

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 Erin

Pairs where Erin 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, Erin
FieldEmilyErin
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningRival, striving, eager (traditional interpretation of the Latin root).An Anglicized form of Éireann, the Irish name for Ireland itself.
OriginLatin, from the Roman family name AemiliaIrish
Pronunciation/ˈɛməli//ˈɛɹ.ɪn/
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, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #6 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #71 (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 Erin is recorded with a Irish origin.
  • Emily has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Erin.
  • Emily's recorded meaning differs from Erin's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Emily a "high" Data Confidence level and Erin 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 recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2003 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #44 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Erin

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1975

    First recorded at #89 among girls in New Zealand in 1975 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New Zealand · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2009 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #72 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls