Emily vs Julia
Emily and Juliacompared 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 2002, Emily was ranked #1 and Julia #83 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Emily was ranked #5 and Julia #212 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Emily was ranked #6 and Julia #118 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Emily was ranked #7 and Julia #188 among girls in Scotland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2001, Emily was ranked #10 and Julia #81 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Emily was ranked #34 and Julia #223 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Emily was ranked #71 and Julia #85 among girls in Norway.
Emily and Julia over time
Emily and Julia appear together in 6 published lists, across 211 years of shared records. Emily held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Julia in 1.
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.
Julia reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Emily in 2. 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 2022, Emily moved ahead of Julia in Norway · Girls — #64 and #51 the year before became #52 and #70.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Emily and Julia changed places 6 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1976 and 2001, ending at #10 and #81.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 24 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Emily and Julia averaged 39.3 places apart, ending at #10 and #81.
- Longest-running competitions
Emily and Julia were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 49 years, from 1969 to 2025, ending at #71 and #85.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Emily #1 in 1998, Julia #70 in 1999.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Emily held the stronger position in 49 of those years, Julia in 12.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2011, Julia #31 in 2009.
The order changed in 1979: Emily moved ahead. In 1978 they stood at #133 and #133; by 1979 that had become #93 and #178.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #6, Julia #118.
Norway · Girls49 shared years, 1969–2025
Emily held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Julia in 44.
Highest recorded here: Emily #47 in 2014, Julia #32 in 2013.
The order changed in 2022: Emily moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #64 and #51; by 2022 that had become #52 and #70.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #71, Julia #85.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Emily held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Julia in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2003, Julia #77 in 2010.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emily #34, Julia #223.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Emily held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Julia in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2013, Julia #68 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emily #5, Julia #212.
New Zealand · Girls24 shared years, 1976–2001
Emily held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Julia in 6.
Highest recorded here: Emily #8 in 2000, Julia #26 in 1983.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2001: Emily #10, Julia #81.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls19 shared years, 1979–2002
Emily held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Julia in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 1998, Julia #70 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2002: Emily #1, Julia #83.
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 | Julia |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Rival, striving, eager (traditional interpretation of the Latin root). | The feminine form of the Roman family name Julius — borne by Julia Augusta and Julia the Elder, and by an early Christian martyr and patron saint of Corsica. |
| Origin | Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia | The feminine counterpart within the Roman gens Julia, the family name Julius belonged to |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛməli/ | /ˈjʉː.lɪ.a/ |
| 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, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #6 (2025) | Norway · Girls #85 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| 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 Julia is recorded with a The feminine counterpart within the Roman gens Julia, the family name Julius belonged to origin.
- Emily has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Julia.
- Emily's recorded meaning differs from Julia'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 Julia 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
Julia
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #345 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1970–2001
Highest recorded position: #26 among girls in New Zealand, in 1983 (recorded 1970–2001).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #85 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls