Emily vs Isabelle
Emily and Isabellecompared 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 Isabelle #227 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Emily was ranked #6 and Isabelle #34 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Emily was ranked #7 and Isabelle #207 among girls in Scotland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Emily was ranked #30 and Isabelle #55 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Emily was ranked #44 and Isabelle #54 among girls in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Emily was ranked #61 and Isabelle #58 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Emily was ranked #71 and Isabelle #293 among girls in Norway.
Emily and Isabelle over time
Emily and Isabelle appear together in 6 published lists, across 195 years of shared records. Emily held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Isabelle in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 3 of the lists they share.
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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Emily and Isabelle changed places 6 times in Norway · Girls between 1973 and 2025, ending at #71 and #293.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Emily and Isabelle averaged 32.0 places apart, ending at #44 and #54.
- Longest-running competitions
Emily and Isabelle were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #44 and #54.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Emily #2 in 2013, Isabelle #27 in 2015.
List by list
Norway · Girls47 shared years, 1973–2025
Emily held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Isabelle in 7.
Highest recorded here: Emily #47 in 2014, Isabelle #133 in 2013.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #71, Isabelle #293.
Republic of Ireland · Girls44 shared years, 1971–2025
Emily held the stronger position in 44 of those years, Isabelle in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2011, Isabelle #26 in 2010.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #6, Isabelle #34.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Emily held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Isabelle in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2003, Isabelle #17 in 2008.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #44, Isabelle #54.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Emily held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Isabelle in 2.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 1998, Isabelle #27 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #61, Isabelle #58.
New Zealand · Girls22 shared years, 2002–2023
Emily held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Isabelle in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emily #2 in 2013, Isabelle #27 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Emily #30, Isabelle #55.
Northern Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 2003–2024
Emily held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Isabelle in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2013, Isabelle #109 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emily #5, Isabelle #227.
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 | Isabelle |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Rival, striving, eager (traditional interpretation of the Latin root). | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛməli/ | |
| Syllables | 3 | 4 |
| 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, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #6 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #34 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Emily has a recorded origin (Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia); Isabelle does not have one recorded yet.
- Emily has 3 syllables, compared with 4 for Isabelle.
- A meaning is recorded for Emily; Isabelle doesn't have one written yet.
- 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 Isabelle 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 recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2003 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #44 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Isabelle
Popularity journey
First recorded1962
First recorded at #454 among girls in Norway in 1962 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #17 among girls in England and Wales, in 2008 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #54 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls