Namewise

Emily vs Shirley

Emily and Shirleycompared 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 2011, Emily was ranked #3 and Shirley #444 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2023, Emily was ranked #3 and Shirley #856 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Emily was ranked #34 and Shirley #3015 among girls in England and Wales.

Emily and Shirley over time

Emily and Shirley appear together in 2 published lists, across 67 years of shared records. Emily held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Shirley 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.

Shirley reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Emily in none. 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 1979, Emily moved ahead of Shirley in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #133 and #113 the year before became #93 and #111.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Emily and Shirley were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 39 years, from 1964 to 2023, ending at #3 and #856.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Emily #1 in 2003, Shirley #1107 in 2001.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls39 shared years, 1964–2023

    Emily held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Shirley in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2011, Shirley #64 in 1971.

    The order changed in 1979: Emily moved ahead. In 1978 they stood at #133 and #113; by 1979 that had become #93 and #111.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Emily #3, Shirley #856.

  • England and Wales · Girls28 shared years, 1996–2024

    Emily held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Shirley in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2003, Shirley #1107 in 2001.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Emily #34, Shirley #3015.

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.

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Emily, Shirley
FieldEmilyShirley
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningRival, striving, eager (traditional interpretation of the Latin root).Not yet recorded
OriginLatin, from the Roman family name AemiliaNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈɛməli/
Syllables32
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, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #6 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #3015 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Emily has a recorded origin (Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia); Shirley does not have one recorded yet.
  • Emily has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Shirley.
  • A meaning is recorded for Emily; Shirley doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Emily a "high" Data Confidence level and Shirley 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 recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2003 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #61 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

Shirley

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #48 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1954–1964

    Highest recorded position: #30 among girls in New Zealand, in 1957 (recorded 1954–1964).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #3015 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Girls