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Emma vs Ida

Emma and Ida compared 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 Ida #37 among girls in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Emma was ranked #28 and Ida #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Emma was ranked #53 and Ida #384 among girls in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Emma was ranked #84 and Ida #337 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Emma was ranked #85 and Ida #342 among girls in England and Wales.

Emma and Ida over time

Norway · Girls
#1#3#10#30#100#30019452025Emma #1Ida #371945: Emma #342, Ida #2041946: Emma #295, Ida #2031947: Emma #326, Ida #1721949: Emma #260, Ida #2121950: Emma #323, Ida #1681951: Emma #260, Ida #1971952: Emma #325, Ida #2131953: Emma #328, Ida #1411954: Emma #364, Ida #1571955: Emma #330, Ida #1711956: Emma #437, Ida #1441958: Emma #384, Ida #1411959: Emma #413, Ida #1351961: Emma #364, Ida #1391963: Emma #415, Ida #1351964: Emma #425, Ida #1311965: Emma #370, Ida #1451966: Emma #425, Ida #1381968: Emma #348, Ida #1321969: Emma #492, Ida #1381970: Emma #441, Ida #1581972: Emma #430, Ida #1491973: Emma #293, Ida #1251974: Emma #421, Ida #1191975: Emma #320, Ida #991976: Emma #422, Ida #991977: Emma #240, Ida #541978: Emma #195, Ida #491979: Emma #196, Ida #411980: Emma #217, Ida #441981: Emma #187, Ida #181982: Emma #189, Ida #141983: Emma #172, Ida #91984: Emma #175, Ida #61985: Emma #162, Ida #21986: Emma #124, Ida #21987: Emma #109, Ida #21988: Emma #151, Ida #11989: Emma #122, Ida #11990: Emma #109, Ida #11991: Emma #131, Ida #21992: Emma #97, Ida #11993: Emma #89, Ida #11994: Emma #80, Ida #21995: Emma #47, Ida #11996: Emma #43, Ida #11997: Emma #27, Ida #21998: Emma #9, Ida #11999: Emma #8, Ida #22000: Emma #10, Ida #12001: Emma #9, Ida #22002: Emma #5, Ida #12003: Emma #1, Ida #22004: Emma #1, Ida #22005: Emma #1, Ida #32006: Emma #2, Ida #42007: Emma #2, Ida #52008: Emma #1, Ida #32009: Emma #1, Ida #32010: Emma #1, Ida #72011: Emma #1, Ida #112012: Emma #1, Ida #72013: Emma #1, Ida #112014: Emma #2, Ida #92015: Emma #1, Ida #122016: Emma #2, Ida #142017: Emma #1, Ida #132018: Emma #1, Ida #232019: Emma #1, Ida #222020: Emma #2, Ida #242021: Emma #2, Ida #232022: Emma #2, Ida #282023: Emma #1, Ida #312024: Emma #1, Ida #362025: Emma #1, Ida #37

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

England and Wales · Girls
#30#100#300#1000#300019962025Emma #85Ida #3421996: Emma #14, Ida #31261997: Emma #13, Ida #27381998: Emma #15, Ida #21651999: Emma #17, Ida #27702000: Emma #17, Ida #21672001: Emma #20, Ida #17282002: Emma #27, Ida #14422003: Emma #19, Ida #14722004: Emma #20, Ida #12092005: Emma #23, Ida #12432006: Emma #27, Ida #14352007: Emma #29, Ida #9872008: Emma #31, Ida #9372009: Emma #41, Ida #7262010: Emma #48, Ida #8782011: Emma #49, Ida #7492012: Emma #50, Ida #6242013: Emma #55, Ida #5422014: Emma #57, Ida #5162015: Emma #60, Ida #3612016: Emma #53, Ida #3132017: Emma #52, Ida #3442018: Emma #56, Ida #2712019: Emma #59, Ida #2752020: Emma #60, Ida #2582021: Emma #61, Ida #2572022: Emma #68, Ida #2842023: Emma #71, Ida #3012024: Emma #69, Ida #3372025: Emma #85, Ida #342

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

Emma and Ida over time

Emma and Ida appear together in 4 published lists, across 135 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Ida in 1.

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.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 2 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 2003, Emma moved ahead of Ida in Norway · Girls — #5 and #1 the year before became #1 and #2.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 21 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Emma rose about as far as Ida fell — from #245 and #372 in 1964 to #28 and #885 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Emma and Ida were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #85 and #342.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls75 shared years, 1945–2025

    Emma held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Ida in 52.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Ida #1 in 1988.

    The order changed in 2003: Emma moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #5 and #1; by 2003 that had become #1 and #2.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #1, Ida #37.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Emma held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Ida in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #13 in 1997, Ida #257 in 2021.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #85, Ida #342.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 1964–2025

    Emma held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Ida in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #2 in 2015, Ida #325 in 1965.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #28, Ida #885.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls9 shared years, 2014–2024

    Emma held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Ida in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #19 in 2014, Ida #178 in 2023.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Emma #84, Ida #337.

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 Ida

Pairs where Ida 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 — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the 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, Ida
FieldEmmaIda
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.Commonly traced to a Germanic element possibly meaning 'work' or 'labour'.
OriginGermanicGermanic, used across Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and German tradition
Pronunciation/ˈɛm.ə//ˈiːdɑ/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New ZealandEngland and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #1 (2025)Norway · Girls #37 (2025)
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Emma is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Ida is recorded with a Germanic, used across Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and German tradition origin.
  • Emma and Ida both have 2 syllables.
  • Emma's recorded meaning differs from Ida's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.

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

Ida

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #204 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: #1 among girls in Norway, in 1988 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #342 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls