Namewise

Emma vs Isabella

Emma and Isabellacompared 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 Isabella #122 among girls in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Emma was ranked #85 and Isabella #10 among girls in England and Wales.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2023, Emma was ranked #67 and Isabella #15 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2025, Emma was ranked #65 and Isabella #17 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Emma was ranked #28 and Isabella #48 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Emma was ranked #84 and Isabella #44 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Emma was ranked #53 and Isabella #50 among girls in Scotland.

Emma and Isabella over time

Emma and Isabella appear together in 6 published lists, across 215 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Emma reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Isabella 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 2006, Isabella moved ahead of Emma in England and Wales · Girls — #23 and #24 the year before became #27 and #20.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Emma and Isabella averaged 43.5 places apart, ending at #85 and #10.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Emma and Isabella were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #85 and #10.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls50 shared years, 1966–2025

    Emma held the stronger position in 50 of those years, Isabella in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Isabella #42 in 2010.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #1, Isabella #122.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls47 shared years, 1964–2025

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

    Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Isabella #41 in 2014.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #28, Isabella #48.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls33 shared years, 1993–2025

    Emma held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Isabella in 25.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #4 in 1995, Isabella #1 in 2007.

    The order changed in 2001: Isabella moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #7 and #9; by 2001 that had become #10 and #5.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #65, Isabella #17.

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

    Emma held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Isabella in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #13 in 1997, Isabella #6 in 2016.

    The order changed in 2006: Isabella moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #23 and #24; by 2006 that had become #27 and #20.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #85, Isabella #10.

  • New Zealand · Girls29 shared years, 1995–2023

    Emma held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Isabella in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Isabella #4 in 2008.

    The order changed in 2008: Isabella moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #4 and #10; by 2008 that had become #7 and #4.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Emma #67, Isabella #15.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1999–2024

    Emma held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Isabella in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Isabella #27 in 2019.

    The order changed in 2021: Isabella moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #40 and #51; by 2021 that had become #55 and #55.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Emma #84, Isabella #44.

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 Isabella

Pairs where Isabella 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 New Zealand lists

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

New Zealand 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, Isabella
FieldEmmaIsabella
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.My God is an oath (via Elizabeth).
OriginGermanicSpanish/Italian, via Elizabeth
Pronunciation/ˈɛm.ə//ˌɪzəˈbɛlə/
Syllables24
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedBella, Izzy, Isabel, Isobel
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)England and Wales · Girls #10 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10076/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Emma is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Isabella is recorded with a Spanish/Italian, via Elizabeth origin.
  • Emma has 2 syllables, compared with 4 for Isabella.
  • Emma's recorded meaning differs from Isabella'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 Emma a "medium" Data Confidence level and Isabella a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

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

Isabella

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1960

    First recorded at #472 among girls in Norway in 1960 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1993–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2007 (recorded 1993–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #10 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls