Emma vs Lauren
Emma and Laurencompared 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 2012, Emma was ranked #13 and Lauren #93 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2012, Emma was ranked #17 and Lauren #97 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Emma was ranked #28 and Lauren #118 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Emma was ranked #53 and Lauren #638 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Emma was ranked #69 and Lauren #934 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Emma was ranked #95 and Lauren #264 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Emma and Lauren over time
Emma and Lauren appear together in 5 published lists, across 174 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Lauren in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Lauren reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 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 2004, Emma moved ahead of Lauren in England and Wales · Girls — #19 and #17 the year before became #20 and #23.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 35 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Emma and Lauren averaged 18.2 places apart, ending at #17 and #97.
- Longest-running competitions
Emma and Lauren were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 35 years, from 1977 to 2012, ending at #17 and #97.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Emma #13 in 1997, Lauren #5 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #14 and #5 in England and Wales · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2024 they were #69 and #934.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls49 shared years, 1971–2025
Emma held the stronger position in 49 of those years, Lauren in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Lauren #6 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #28, Lauren #118.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls35 shared years, 1977–2012
Emma held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Lauren in 4.
Highest recorded here: Emma #3 in 1988, Lauren #5 in 1984.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Emma #17, Lauren #97.
New Zealand · Girls34 shared years, 1978–2012
Emma held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Lauren in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Lauren #19 in 1990.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Emma #13, Lauren #93.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Emma held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Lauren in 8.
Highest recorded here: Emma #13 in 1997, Lauren #5 in 1996.
The order changed in 2004: Emma moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #19 and #17; by 2004 that had become #20 and #23.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emma #69, Lauren #934.
Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2023
Emma held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Lauren in 2.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Lauren #2 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Emma #95, Lauren #264.
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 | Lauren |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | A variant/feminine form of Laurence, tracing to the place name Laurentum. First popularized as a feminine name by actress Lauren Bacall (born Betty Jean Perske). |
| Origin | Germanic | Latin (place name origin), via a modern stage-name |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛm.ə/ | /ˈlɔɹ.ən/ |
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #1 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #118 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Emma is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Lauren is recorded with a Latin (place name origin), via a modern stage-name origin.
- Emma and Lauren both have 2 syllables.
- Emma's recorded meaning differs from Lauren's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, 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
Lauren
Popularity journey
First recorded1971
First recorded at #466 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1971 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2023
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2001 (recorded 1997–2023).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #118 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls