Emma vs Laura
Emma and Lauracompared 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 Laura #141 among girls in Norway.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2008, Emma was ranked #7 and Laura #71 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2009, Emma was ranked #19 and Laura #90 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Emma was ranked #28 and Laura #112 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Emma was ranked #53 and Laura #351 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Emma was ranked #69 and Laura #258 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Emma was ranked #84 and Laura #253 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Emma and Laura over time
Emma and Laura appear together in 6 published lists, across 252 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Laura 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.
Laura reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Emma in 2. 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 1986, Emma moved ahead of Laura in Norway · Girls — #162 and #144 the year before became #124 and #141.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Emma and Laura changed places 13 times in Norway · Girls between 1945 and 2025, ending at #1 and #141.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 34 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Emma and Laura averaged 24.6 places apart, ending at #19 and #90.
- Longest-running competitions
Emma and Laura were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 34 years, from 1976 to 2009, ending at #19 and #90.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Emma #13 in 1997, Laura #17 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Girls69 shared years, 1945–2025
Emma held the stronger position in 54 of those years, Laura in 15.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Laura #99 in 2024.
The order changed in 1986: Emma moved ahead. In 1985 they stood at #162 and #144; by 1986 that had become #124 and #141.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #1, Laura #141.
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Emma held the stronger position in 43 of those years, Laura in 19.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Laura #2 in 1985.
The order changed in 1996: Emma moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #5 and #4; by 1996 that had become #2 and #6.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #28, Laura #112.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls34 shared years, 1976–2009
Emma held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Laura in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #3 in 1988, Laura #9 in 1994.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2009: Emma #19, Laura #90.
New Zealand · Girls30 shared years, 1978–2008
Emma held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Laura in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Laura #8 in 1995.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Emma #7, Laura #71.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Emma held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Laura in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #13 in 1997, Laura #17 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emma #69, Laura #258.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Emma held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Laura in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Laura #13 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emma #84, Laura #253.
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 | Laura |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| 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. | From Latin 'laurus' meaning 'laurel' — laurel wreaths honoured victors in ancient Rome. Also the subject of 14th-century Italian poet Petrarch's poems. |
| Origin | Germanic | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛm.ə/ | /ˈlɔɹ.ə/ |
| 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, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #1 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #112 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| 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 is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Laura is recorded with a Latin origin.
- Emma and Laura both have 2 syllables.
- Emma's recorded meaning differs from Laura's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, 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
Laura
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #313 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1985 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #141 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls