Emily vs Samantha
Emily and Samanthacompared 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 2021, Emily was ranked #2 and Samantha #446 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2015, Emily was ranked #5 and Samantha #85 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2013, Emily was ranked #6 and Samantha #84 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Emily was ranked #6 and Samantha #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Emily was ranked #7 and Samantha #541 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Emily was ranked #44 and Samantha #778 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Emily was ranked #71 and Samantha #525 among girls in Norway.
Emily and Samantha over time
Emily and Samantha appear together in 6 published lists, across 230 years of shared records. Emily held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Samantha in 0.
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.
Samantha 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 1993, Emily moved ahead of Samantha in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #5 and #3 the year before became #3 and #5.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Emily and Samantha changed places 6 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1978 and 2015, ending at #5 and #85.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 37 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Emily and Samantha averaged 25.5 places apart, ending at #6 and #84.
- Longest-running competitions
Emily and Samantha were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #44 and #778.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Girls within 2 years — Emily #47 in 2014, Samantha #298 in 2015.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls60 shared years, 1966–2025
Emily held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Samantha in 20.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2011, Samantha #33 in 1986.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #6, Samantha #885.
Norway · Girls43 shared years, 1969–2025
Emily held the stronger position in 42 of those years, Samantha in 1.
Highest recorded here: Emily #47 in 2014, Samantha #298 in 2015.
The order changed in 1978: Emily moved ahead. In 1977 they stood at #547 and #519; by 1978 that had become #425 and #645.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #71, Samantha #525.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls37 shared years, 1977–2013
Emily held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Samantha in 16.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 1998, Samantha #3 in 1992.
The order changed in 1993: Emily moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #5 and #3; by 1993 that had become #3 and #5.
Most recent shared year, 2013: Emily #6, Samantha #84.
New Zealand · Girls37 shared years, 1978–2015
Emily held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Samantha in 18.
Highest recorded here: Emily #2 in 2013, Samantha #3 in 1989.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Emily #5, Samantha #85.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Emily held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Samantha in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2003, Samantha #32 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #44, Samantha #778.
Northern Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 1997–2021
Emily held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Samantha in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2013, Samantha #57 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Emily #2, Samantha #446.
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 | Samantha |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Rival, striving, eager (traditional interpretation of the Latin root). | Likely a feminine adaptation of Samuel, incorporating a suffix possibly derived from Greek 'anthos' ('flower'). Emerged in 18th-century America; boosted to wide popularity by the 1964 television series Bewitched. |
| Origin | Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia | Hebrew, feminine adaptation (uncertain suffix origin) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛməli/ | /sə.ˈmæn.θə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| 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 #525 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 76/100 |
| 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 Samantha is recorded with a Hebrew, feminine adaptation (uncertain suffix origin) origin.
- Emily and Samantha both have 3 syllables.
- Emily's recorded meaning differs from Samantha'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 Samantha 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 recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2003 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #44 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Samantha
Popularity journey
First recorded1966
First recorded at #79 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1966–2013
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1992 (recorded 1966–2013).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #778 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls