Namewise

Emily vs Jennifer

Emily and Jennifercompared 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.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2003, Emily was ranked #1 and Jennifer #88 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2022, Emily was ranked #2 and Jennifer #354 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2003, Emily was ranked #4 and Jennifer #84 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Emily was ranked #6 and Jennifer #413 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Emily was ranked #7 and Jennifer #384 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Emily was ranked #44 and Jennifer #650 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2020, Emily was ranked #65 and Jennifer #493 among girls in Norway.

Emily and Jennifer over time

Emily and Jennifer appear together in 6 published lists, across 211 years of shared records. Emily held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Jennifer in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Jennifer 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 took the other's place near the top

    In New Zealand · Girls, Emily moved into the top 50 at #36 in 1989 as Jennifer fell out of it to #54, having been #32 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1986, Emily moved ahead of Jennifer in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #32 and #19 the year before became #24 and #25.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 27 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Emily and Jennifer averaged 44.1 places apart, ending at #1 and #88.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 28 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Emily rose about as far as Jennifer fell — from #94 and #34 in 1975 to #4 and #84 in 2003.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Emily and Jennifer were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #44 and #650.

List by list

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

    Emily held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Jennifer in 33.

    Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2011, Jennifer #4 in 1981.

    The order changed in 1997: Emily moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #31 and #24; by 1997 that had become #27 and #31.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #6, Jennifer #413.

  • Norway · Girls42 shared years, 1969–2020

    Emily held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Jennifer in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Emily #47 in 2014, Jennifer #187 in 2000.

    The order changed in 1990: Emily moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #278 and #227; by 1990 that had become #225 and #257.

    Most recent shared year, 2020: Emily #65, Jennifer #493.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2003, Jennifer #54 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #44, Jennifer #650.

  • New Zealand · Girls28 shared years, 1975–2003

    Emily held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Jennifer in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Emily #4 in 2003, Jennifer #15 in 1981.

    The order changed in 1989: Emily moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #45 and #32; by 1989 that had become #36 and #54.

    Most recent shared year, 2003: Emily #4, Jennifer #84.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls27 shared years, 1977–2003

    Emily held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Jennifer in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 1998, Jennifer #13 in 1977.

    The order changed in 1986: Emily moved ahead. In 1985 they stood at #32 and #19; by 1986 that had become #24 and #25.

    Most recent shared year, 2003: Emily #1, Jennifer #88.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 1997–2022

    Emily held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Jennifer in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2013, Jennifer #55 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Emily #2, Jennifer #354.

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 Jennifer

Pairs where Jennifer 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 took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

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

New Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2000s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2000 and 2009.

The 2000s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Emily, Jennifer
FieldEmilyJennifer
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningRival, striving, eager (traditional interpretation of the Latin root).From a Cornish form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar (Guinevere), combining 'gwyn' and 'hwyfar'. Confined mainly to Cornwall until George Bernard Shaw's 1906 play The Doctor's Dilemma sparked wider adoption.
OriginLatin, from the Roman family name AemiliaWelsh, via Cornish transmission
Pronunciation/ˈɛməli//ˈd͡ʒɛn.ɪ.fəɹ/
Syllables33
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)Republic of Ireland · Girls #413 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10076/100
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 Jennifer is recorded with a Welsh, via Cornish transmission origin.
  • Emily and Jennifer both have 3 syllables.
  • Emily's recorded meaning differs from Jennifer'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 Jennifer 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

Jennifer

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #331 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1952–2003

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1956 (recorded 1952–2003).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #650 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls