Namewise

Emma vs Heidi

Emma and Heidicompared 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.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Emma was ranked #1 and Heidi #437 among girls in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Emma was ranked #28 and Heidi #91 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2019, Emma was ranked #40 and Heidi #99 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Emma was ranked #53 and Heidi #95 among girls in Scotland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2022, Emma was ranked #55 and Heidi #99 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Emma was ranked #84 and Heidi #65 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Emma was ranked #69 and Heidi #107 among girls in England and Wales.

Emma and Heidi over time

Emma and Heidi appear together in 6 published lists, across 206 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Heidi in 1.

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.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 3 of the lists they share.

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 2023, Heidi moved ahead of Emma in Northern Ireland · Girls — #46 and #73 the year before became #95 and #66.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 75 shared years in Norway · Girls, Emma rose about as far as Heidi fell — from #342 and #188 in 1945 to #1 and #437 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Emma and Heidi were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 75 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #1 and #437.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls75 shared years, 1945–2025

    Emma held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Heidi in 43.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Heidi #2 in 1965.

    The order changed in 1995: Emma moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #80 and #67; by 1995 that had become #47 and #82.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #1, Heidi #437.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls47 shared years, 1968–2025

    Emma held the stronger position in 47 of those years, Heidi in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Heidi #74 in 2019.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #28, Heidi #91.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Emma held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Heidi in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #13 in 1997, Heidi #76 in 2016.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Emma #69, Heidi #107.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1997–2024

    Emma held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Heidi in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #2 in 1998, Heidi #48 in 2021.

    The order changed in 2023: Heidi moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #46 and #73; by 2023 that had become #95 and #66.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Emma #84, Heidi #65.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls19 shared years, 1971–2019

    Emma held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Heidi in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #9 in 1982, Heidi #64 in 1973.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Emma #40, Heidi #99.

  • New Zealand · Girls10 shared years, 1975–2022

    Emma held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Heidi in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #8 in 1980, Heidi #72 in 1977.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Emma #55, Heidi #99.

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.

Other comparisons involving Heidi

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

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — mirrored each other.

All mirrored each other→

Other pairs from Norway lists

Pairs measured inside Norway's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Norway overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Emma, Heidi
FieldEmmaHeidi
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
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.A German diminutive of Adelheid. Gained wide recognition through Johanna Spyri's 1880 children's novel Heidi, and its 1937 film adaptation starring Shirley Temple.
OriginGermanicGermanic, diminutive of Adelheid
Pronunciation/ˈɛm.ə//ˈhaɪ̯.di/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #1 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #91 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Emma is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Heidi is recorded with a Germanic, diminutive of Adelheid origin.
  • Emma and Heidi both have 2 syllables.
  • Emma's recorded meaning differs from Heidi'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

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 #65 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

Heidi

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #188 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 recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Norway, in 1965 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #437 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls