Namewise

Emma vs Gillian

Emma and Gilliancompared 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 2003, Emma was ranked #1 and Gillian #331 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2023, Emma was ranked #19 and Gillian #856 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Emma was ranked #85 and Gillian #4201 among girls in England and Wales.

Emma and Gillian over time

Emma and Gillian appear together in 2 published lists, across 76 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Gillian 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.

Gillian reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Emma 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 1978, Emma moved ahead of Gillian in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #30 and #27 the year before became #24 and #28.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Emma and Gillian were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 49 years, from 1964 to 2023, ending at #19 and #856.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Emma #13 in 1997, Gillian #703 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls49 shared years, 1964–2023

    Emma held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Gillian in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Gillian #27 in 1977.

    The order changed in 1978: Emma moved ahead. In 1977 they stood at #30 and #27; by 1978 that had become #24 and #28.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Emma #19, Gillian #856.

  • England and Wales · Girls27 shared years, 1996–2025

    Emma held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Gillian in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #13 in 1997, Gillian #703 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #85, Gillian #4201.

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 Emma

Pairs where Emma shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Emma, Gillian
FieldEmmaGillian
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningA shortened form of Germanic names beginning with the element 'irmin' ('whole, great'), from Proto-Germanic *ermunaz. Introduced to England by Emma of Normandy, wife of King Ethelred II and later King Canute; further popularised by Jane Austen's 1816 novel Emma.Not yet recorded
OriginGermanicNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈɛm.ə/Not yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #1 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #4201 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Emma has a recorded origin (Germanic); Gillian does not have one recorded yet.
  • Emma and Gillian both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Emma; Gillian doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Emma

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #342 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1969–2023

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 2003 (recorded 1969–2023).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #85 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Gillian

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1954

    First recorded at #64 among girls in New Zealand in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New Zealand · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2023

    Highest recorded position: #27 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1977 (recorded 1964–2023).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #4201 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls