Namewise

Emma vs Karen

Emma and Karencompared 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 Karen #442 among girls in Norway.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1986, Emma was ranked #3 and Karen #100 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1986, Emma was ranked #8 and Karen #98 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2010, Emma was ranked #9 and Karen #430 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2019, Emma was ranked #12 and Karen #871 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Emma was ranked #85 and Karen #2440 among girls in England and Wales.

Emma and Karen over time

Emma and Karen appear together in 6 published lists, across 207 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Karen in 1.

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.

Karen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 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.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1978, Emma moved ahead of Karen in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #18 and #12 the year before became #14 and #18.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Emma and Karen were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 75 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #1 and #442.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Emma #13 in 1997, Karen #417 in 1996.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls75 shared years, 1945–2025

    Emma held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Karen in 42.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Karen #57 in 1946.

    The order changed in 1993: Emma moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #97 and #92; by 1993 that had become #89 and #119.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #1, Karen #442.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls56 shared years, 1964–2019

    Emma held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Karen in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Karen #5 in 1977.

    The order changed in 1981: Emma moved ahead. In 1980 they stood at #11 and #10; by 1981 that had become #7 and #9.

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Emma #12, Karen #871.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2025

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

    Highest recorded here: Emma #13 in 1997, Karen #417 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #85, Karen #2440.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls18 shared years, 1969–1986

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

    Highest recorded here: Emma #8 in 1986, Karen #2 in 1969.

    The order changed in 1978: Emma moved ahead. In 1977 they stood at #18 and #12; by 1978 that had become #14 and #18.

    Most recent shared year, 1986: Emma #8, Karen #98.

  • New Zealand · Girls18 shared years, 1969–1986

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

    Highest recorded here: Emma #3 in 1982, Karen #3 in 1969.

    The order changed in 1978: Emma moved ahead. In 1977 they stood at #17 and #16; by 1978 that had become #16 and #21.

    Most recent shared year, 1986: Emma #3, Karen #100.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 1997–2010

    Emma held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Karen in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Karen #133 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2010: Emma #9, Karen #430.

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 Karen

Pairs where Karen 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 Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of 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.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2010s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2010 and 2019.

The 2010s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Emma, Karen
FieldEmmaKaren
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, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #1 (2025)Norway · Girls #442 (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); Karen does not have one recorded yet.
  • Emma and Karen both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Emma; Karen doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, 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 #85 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Karen

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #70 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 recorded1952–1986

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1963 (recorded 1952–1986).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2440 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls