Namewise

Emily vs Leah

Emily and Leahcompared 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 Leah #119 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Emily was ranked #6 and Leah #55 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Emily was ranked #7 and Leah #145 among girls in Scotland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Emily was ranked #71 and Leah #12 among girls in Norway.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2022, Emily was ranked #22 and Leah #96 among girls in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Emily was ranked #44 and Leah #183 among girls in England and Wales.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2025, Emily was ranked #61 and Leah #89 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

Emily and Leah over time

Emily and Leah appear together in 6 published lists, across 217 years of shared records. Emily held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Leah 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.

Leah reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 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 1980, Emily moved ahead of Leah in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #75 and #61 the year before became #62 and #69.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 27 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Emily and Leah averaged 49.7 places apart, ending at #61 and #89.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Emily and Leah were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #44 and #183.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Emily #1 in 2003, Leah #24 in 2002.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls56 shared years, 1966–2025

    Emily held the stronger position in 49 of those years, Leah in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2011, Leah #9 in 2004.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #6, Leah #55.

  • Norway · Girls40 shared years, 1982–2025

    Emily held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Leah in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Emily #47 in 2014, Leah #12 in 2025.

    The order changed in 2002: Leah moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #149 and #176; by 2002 that had become #142 and #133.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #71, Leah #12.

  • New Zealand · Girls36 shared years, 1976–2022

    Emily held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Leah in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Emily #2 in 2013, Leah #39 in 2012.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Emily #22, Leah #96.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2003, Leah #24 in 2002.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #44, Leah #183.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Emily held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Leah in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2013, Leah #10 in 2005.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Emily #5, Leah #119.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls27 shared years, 1977–2025

    Emily held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Leah in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2001, Leah #47 in 1983.

    The order changed in 1980: Emily moved ahead. In 1979 they stood at #75 and #61; by 1980 that had become #62 and #69.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #61, Leah #89.

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 Leah

Pairs where Leah 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 — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

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

England and Wales overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Emily, Leah
FieldEmilyLeah
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningRival, striving, eager (traditional interpretation of the Latin root).Likely derives from a Hebrew word meaning 'weary, grieved'; an alternative theory suggests a connection to Akkadian 'littu' ('cow'). In the Old Testament, Leah was Jacob's first wife.
OriginLatin, from the Roman family name AemiliaBiblical Hebrew, etymology disputed
Pronunciation/ˈɛməli//ˈliː.ə/
Syllables31
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)Norway · Girls #12 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
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 Leah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, etymology disputed origin.
  • Emily has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Leah.
  • Emily's recorded meaning differs from Leah'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 Leah 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

Leah

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1966

    First recorded at #310 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1966–2025

    Highest recorded position: #9 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2004 (recorded 1966–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #183 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls