Emma vs Lisa
Emma and Lisacompared 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 Lisa #174 among girls in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1997, Emma was ranked #4 and Lisa #100 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1997, Emma was ranked #5 and Lisa #85 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Emma was ranked #28 and Lisa #443 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2019, Emma was ranked #34 and Lisa #336 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Emma was ranked #53 and Lisa #790 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Emma was ranked #69 and Lisa #795 among girls in England and Wales.
Emma and Lisa over time
Emma and Lisa appear together in 6 published lists, across 240 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Lisa 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.
Lisa 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 1985, Emma moved ahead of Lisa in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #12 and #9 the year before became #9 and #10.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Emma and Lisa changed places 7 times in Norway · Girls between 1945 and 2025, ending at #1 and #174.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Emma and Lisa averaged 31.7 places apart, ending at #4 and #100.
- Mirrored each other
Over 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Emma rose about as far as Lisa fell — from #245 and #222 in 1964 to #28 and #443 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Emma and Lisa were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 74 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #1 and #174.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Emma #13 in 1997, Lisa #105 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Girls74 shared years, 1945–2025
Emma held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Lisa in 40.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Lisa #37 in 1994.
The order changed in 1996: Emma moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #47 and #40; by 1996 that had become #43 and #46.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #1, Lisa #174.
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Emma held the stronger position in 42 of those years, Lisa in 20.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Lisa #3 in 1984.
The order changed in 1985: Emma moved ahead. In 1984 they stood at #8 and #3; by 1985 that had become #5 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #28, Lisa #443.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Emma held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Lisa in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #13 in 1997, Lisa #105 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emma #69, Lisa #795.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls29 shared years, 1969–1997
Emma held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Lisa in 14.
Highest recorded here: Emma #3 in 1988, Lisa #3 in 1969.
The order changed in 1985: Emma moved ahead. In 1984 they stood at #12 and #9; by 1985 that had become #9 and #10.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Emma #4, Lisa #100.
New Zealand · Girls29 shared years, 1969–1997
Emma held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Lisa in 13.
Highest recorded here: Emma #2 in 1988, Lisa #1 in 1969.
The order changed in 1982: Emma moved ahead. In 1981 they stood at #6 and #5; by 1982 that had become #3 and #5.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Emma #5, Lisa #85.
Northern Ireland · Girls17 shared years, 1997–2019
Emma held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Lisa in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Lisa #63 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Emma #34, Lisa #336.
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 | Lisa |
|---|---|---|
| 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 short form of Elizabeth, often used independently — notably the name of the subject of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. |
| Origin | Germanic | Hebrew, short form of Elizabeth |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛm.ə/ | /ˈliː.sə/ |
| 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) | Norway · Girls #174 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Emma is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Lisa is recorded with a Hebrew, short form of Elizabeth origin.
- Emma and Lisa both have 2 syllables.
- Emma's recorded meaning differs from Lisa'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
Lisa
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #330 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1962–1997
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 1968 (recorded 1962–1997).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #174 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls