Emily vs Maria
Emily and Mariacompared 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 Maria #97 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Emily was ranked #6 and Maria #74 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2016, Emily was ranked #7 and Maria #78 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Emily was ranked #7 and Maria #120 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1985, Emily was ranked #32 and Maria #95 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Emily was ranked #34 and Maria #91 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Emily was ranked #71 and Maria #62 among girls in Norway.
Emily and Maria over time
Emily and Maria appear together in 6 published lists, across 211 years of shared records. Emily held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Maria in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Maria 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 1983, Emily moved ahead of Maria in New Zealand · Girls — #71 and #61 the year before became #47 and #72.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 35 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Emily and Maria averaged 53.1 places apart, ending at #7 and #78.
- Mirrored each other
Over 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Emily rose about as far as Maria fell — from #32 and #61 in 1997 to #5 and #97 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
Emily and Maria were both ranked in New Zealand · Girls for 35 years, from 1975 to 2016, ending at #7 and #78.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Emily held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Maria in 29.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2011, Maria #23 in 1967.
The order changed in 1993: Emily moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #51 and #50; by 1993 that had become #43 and #50.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #6, Maria #74.
Norway · Girls49 shared years, 1969–2025
Emily held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Maria in 48.
Highest recorded here: Emily #47 in 2014, Maria #3 in 1982.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #71, Maria #62.
New Zealand · Girls35 shared years, 1975–2016
Emily held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Maria in 8.
Highest recorded here: Emily #3 in 2012, Maria #36 in 1977.
The order changed in 1983: Emily moved ahead. In 1982 they stood at #71 and #61; by 1983 that had become #47 and #72.
Most recent shared year, 2016: Emily #7, Maria #78.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Emily held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Maria in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2003, Maria #66 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emily #34, Maria #91.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Emily held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Maria in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2013, Maria #49 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emily #5, Maria #97.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls8 shared years, 1977–1985
Emily held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Maria in 2.
Highest recorded here: Emily #32 in 1985, Maria #46 in 1977.
The order changed in 1979: Emily moved ahead. In 1978 they stood at #61 and #47; by 1979 that had become #75 and #76.
Most recent shared year, 1985: Emily #32, Maria #95.
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 | Maria |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Rival, striving, eager (traditional interpretation of the Latin root). | The Latin form of Greek Maria, from Hebrew Miryam (see Mary). |
| Origin | Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia | Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛməli/ | /mɑ.ˈriː.ɑ/ |
| 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 #62 (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 Maria is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission origin.
- Emily has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Maria.
- Emily's recorded meaning differs from Maria'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 Maria 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
Maria
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #126 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Norway, in 1982 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #62 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls