Namewise

Emma vs Jayne

Emma and Jaynecompared 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.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Emma was ranked #17 and Jayne #736 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2014, Emma was ranked #19 and Jayne #439 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Emma was ranked #69 and Jayne #5891 among girls in England and Wales.

Emma and Jayne over time

Emma and Jayne appear together in 3 published lists, across 85 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Jayne in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Jayne reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 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.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 48 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Emma rose about as far as Jayne fell — from #179 and #354 in 1967 to #17 and #736 in 2024.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Emma and Jayne were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 48 years, from 1967 to 2024, ending at #17 and #736.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Emma #13 in 1997, Jayne #635 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls48 shared years, 1967–2024

    Emma held the stronger position in 48 of those years, Jayne in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Jayne #224 in 1995.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Emma #17, Jayne #736.

  • England and Wales · Girls24 shared years, 1996–2024

    Emma held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Jayne in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #13 in 1997, Jayne #635 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Emma #69, Jayne #5891.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls13 shared years, 1997–2014

    Emma held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Jayne in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Jayne #139 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2014: Emma #19, Jayne #439.

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, Jayne
FieldEmmaJayne
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
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #1 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #736 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

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

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

Jayne

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1967

    First recorded at #354 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1967 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1997–2014

    Highest recorded position: #139 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 1997 (recorded 1997–2014).

    Northern Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #5891 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Girls