Emma vs Kerry
Emma and Kerrycompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1976, Emma was ranked #14 and Kerry #97 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2020, Emma was ranked #14 and Kerry #834 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1978, Emma was ranked #16 and Kerry #91 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2020, Emma was ranked #40 and Kerry #397 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Emma was ranked #69 and Kerry #4843 among girls in England and Wales.
Emma and Kerry over time
Emma and Kerry appear together in 5 published lists, across 105 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Kerry in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Kerry reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 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.
- Mirrored each other
Over 46 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Emma rose about as far as Kerry fell — from #161 and #357 in 1968 to #14 and #834 in 2020.
- Longest-running competitions
Emma and Kerry were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 46 years, from 1968 to 2020, ending at #14 and #834.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Emma #13 in 1997, Kerry #136 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls46 shared years, 1968–2020
Emma held the stronger position in 46 of those years, Kerry in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Kerry #149 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Emma #14, Kerry #834.
England and Wales · Girls25 shared years, 1996–2024
Emma held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Kerry in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #13 in 1997, Kerry #136 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emma #69, Kerry #4843.
Northern Ireland · Girls18 shared years, 1997–2020
Emma held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Kerry in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Kerry #82 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Emma #40, Kerry #397.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls8 shared years, 1969–1976
Emma held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Kerry in 2.
Highest recorded here: Emma #14 in 1976, Kerry #54 in 1969.
The order changed in 1971: Emma moved ahead. In 1970 they stood at #68 and #65; by 1971 that had become #65 and #71.
Most recent shared year, 1976: Emma #14, Kerry #97.
New Zealand · Girls8 shared years, 1970–1978
Emma held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Kerry in 1.
Highest recorded here: Emma #16 in 1978, Kerry #66 in 1972.
The order changed in 1971: Emma moved ahead. In 1970 they stood at #88 and #85; by 1971 that had become #72 and #76.
Most recent shared year, 1978: Emma #16, Kerry #91.
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.
Side by side
| Field | Emma | Kerry |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | Used for both boys and girls |
| Meaning | A 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 |
| Origin | Germanic | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛm.ə/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #1 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #4843 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Emma has a recorded origin (Germanic); Kerry does not have one recorded yet.
- Emma and Kerry both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Emma; Kerry doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Emma
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1969–2023
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 2003 (recorded 1969–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #65 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Kerry
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #23 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1976
Highest recorded position: #11 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1956 (recorded 1952–1976).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #4843 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls