Emily vs Olivia
Emily and Oliviacompared 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.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Emily was ranked #34 and Olivia #1 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Emily was ranked #7 and Olivia #1 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Emily was ranked #5 and Olivia #2 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Emily was ranked #71 and Olivia #2 among girls in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Emily was ranked #61 and Olivia #3 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Emily was ranked #30 and Olivia #4 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Emily was ranked #6 and Olivia #8 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Emily and Olivia over time
Emily and Olivia appear together in 6 published lists, across 249 years of shared records. Emily held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Olivia in 2.
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.
Emily reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Olivia 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 2006, Olivia moved ahead of Emily in England and Wales · Girls — #2 and #4 the year before became #5 and #2.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Emily and Olivia changed places 14 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1977 and 2023, ending at #30 and #4.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Emily and Olivia averaged 8.2 places apart, ending at #34 and #1.
- Longest-running competitions
Emily and Olivia were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 42 years, from 1978 to 2025, ending at #61 and #3.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Emily #2 in 2013, Olivia #1 in 2012.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Emily held the stronger position in 45 of those years, Olivia in 17.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2011, Olivia #4 in 1975.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #6, Olivia #8.
New Zealand · Girls47 shared years, 1977–2023
Emily held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Olivia in 36.
Highest recorded here: Emily #2 in 2013, Olivia #1 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Emily #30, Olivia #4.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls42 shared years, 1978–2025
Emily held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Olivia in 17.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 1998, Olivia #1 in 2014.
The order changed in 2013: Olivia moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #3 and #4; by 2013 that had become #6 and #2.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #61, Olivia #3.
Norway · Girls41 shared years, 1978–2025
Emily held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Olivia in 19.
Highest recorded here: Emily #47 in 2014, Olivia #2 in 2023.
The order changed in 2007: Olivia moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #90 and #130; by 2007 that had become #113 and #81.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #71, Olivia #2.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Emily held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Olivia in 19.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2003, Olivia #1 in 2008.
The order changed in 2006: Olivia moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #2 and #4; by 2006 that had become #5 and #2.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emily #34, Olivia #1.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Emily held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Olivia in 1.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2013, Olivia #2 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emily #5, Olivia #2.
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 | Olivia |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Rival, striving, eager (traditional interpretation of the Latin root). | Commonly interpreted as 'olive tree' or 'symbol of peace'. |
| Origin | Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛməli/ | /əˈlɪviə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Em, Emmy, Emilie, Amelia, Aemilia | Olivea, Liv, Livvy, Oliwia |
| 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 #2 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | high |
What the data shows
- Emily is recorded with a Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia origin, while Olivia is recorded with a Latin origin.
- Emily and Olivia both have 3 syllables.
- Emily's recorded meaning differs from Olivia's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
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
Olivia
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #488 among girls in Norway in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2008 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #3 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls