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 2024, Emily was ranked #34 and Erin #65 among girls in England and Wales.
Emily and Erin over time
Emily and Erin appear together in 5 published lists, across 160 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.
- One took the other's place near the top
In New Zealand · Girls, Emily moved into the top 50 at #40 in 1986 as Erin fell out of it to #53, having been #40 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1986, Emily moved ahead of Erin in New Zealand · Girls — #47 and #40 the year before became #40 and #53.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Emily and Erin changed places 5 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2024, ending at #5 and #25.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Emily and Erin averaged 42.5 places apart, ending at #34 and #65.
- Longest-running competitions
Emily and Erin were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 32 years, from 1977 to 2011, ending at #10 and #81.
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 · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Emily held the stronger position in 29 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, 2024: Emily #34, Erin #65.
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.
Side by side
| Field | Emily | Erin |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Rival, striving, eager (traditional interpretation of the Latin root). | An Anglicized form of Éireann, the Irish name for Ireland itself. |
| Origin | Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia | Irish |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛməli/ | /ˈɛɹ.ɪn/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Em, Emmy, Emilie, Amelia, Aemilia | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #6 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #71 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
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
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
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2003 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #61 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Erin
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2009 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #71 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls