Namewise

Emma vs Jenna

Emma and Jennacompared 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.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2004, Emma was ranked #1 and Jenna #93 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1991, Emma was ranked #5 and Jenna #99 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

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

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2022, Emma was ranked #46 and Jenna #354 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Emma was ranked #53 and Jenna #638 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Emma was ranked #85 and Jenna #1133 among girls in England and Wales.

Emma and Jenna over time

Emma and Jenna appear together in 5 published lists, across 118 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Jenna in 0.

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

Jenna reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Emma in 1. 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.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Emma and Jenna were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #85 and #1133.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Emma #13 in 1997, Jenna #148 in 1997.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls44 shared years, 1979–2025

    Emma held the stronger position in 44 of those years, Jenna in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Jenna #107 in 1984.

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

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

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Emma #13 in 1997, Jenna #148 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #85, Jenna #1133.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls24 shared years, 1997–2022

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

    Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Jenna #74 in 2005.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Emma #46, Jenna #354.

  • New Zealand · Girls12 shared years, 1983–2004

    Emma held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Jenna in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2004, Jenna #12 in 1985.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2004: Emma #1, Jenna #93.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls8 shared years, 1984–1991

    Emma held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Jenna in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #3 in 1988, Jenna #33 in 1987.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1991: Emma #5, Jenna #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 Jenna

Pairs where Jenna 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 — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

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

Northern Ireland 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, Jenna
FieldEmmaJenna
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, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #1 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #885 (2025)
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); Jenna does not have one recorded yet.
  • Emma and Jenna both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Emma; Jenna doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, 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

Jenna

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1979

    First recorded at #391 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1979 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1983–2004

    Highest recorded position: #12 among girls in New Zealand, in 1985 (recorded 1983–2004).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1133 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls