Emily vs Kayla
Emily and Kaylacompared 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 2012, Emily was ranked #3 and Kayla #83 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2014, Emily was ranked #4 and Kayla #89 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Emily was ranked #5 and Kayla #253 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Emily was ranked #6 and Kayla #130 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Emily was ranked #7 and Kayla #171 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Emily was ranked #34 and Kayla #332 among girls in England and Wales.
Emily and Kayla over time
Emily and Kayla appear together in 5 published lists, across 145 years of shared records. Emily held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Kayla in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Kayla reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 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 moved ahead of the other
In 1992, Emily moved ahead of Kayla in New Zealand · Girls — #28 and #20 the year before became #12 and #18.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 27 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Emily and Kayla averaged 46.3 places apart, ending at #3 and #83.
- Mirrored each other
Over 29 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Emily rose about as far as Kayla fell — from #40 and #38 in 1986 to #4 and #89 in 2014.
- Longest-running competitions
Emily and Kayla were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 33 years, from 1991 to 2025, ending at #6 and #130.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Emily #1 in 2013, Kayla #40 in 2011.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls33 shared years, 1991–2025
Emily held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Kayla in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2011, Kayla #21 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #6, Kayla #130.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Emily held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Kayla in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2003, Kayla #98 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emily #34, Kayla #332.
New Zealand · Girls29 shared years, 1986–2014
Emily held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Kayla in 2.
Highest recorded here: Emily #2 in 2013, Kayla #18 in 1992.
The order changed in 1992: Emily moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #28 and #20; by 1992 that had become #12 and #18.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Emily #4, Kayla #89.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls27 shared years, 1985–2012
Emily held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Kayla in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 1998, Kayla #28 in 1990.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Emily #3, Kayla #83.
Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1998–2024
Emily held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Kayla in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2013, Kayla #40 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emily #5, Kayla #253.
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 | Kayla |
|---|---|---|
| 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/ | Not yet recorded |
| 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 #130 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| 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 has a recorded origin (Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia); Kayla does not have one recorded yet.
- Emily has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Kayla.
- A meaning is recorded for Emily; Kayla doesn't have one written yet.
- 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 Kayla 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
Kayla
Popularity journey
First recorded1985
First recorded at #68 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1985 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1986–2014
Highest recorded position: #18 among girls in New Zealand, in 1992 (recorded 1986–2014).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #130 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls