Emma vs Louise
Emma and Louisecompared 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 Louise #59 among girls in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1995, Emma was ranked #4 and Louise #100 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1994, Emma was ranked #5 and Louise #100 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2017, Emma was ranked #22 and Louise #296 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Emma was ranked #28 and Louise #213 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Emma was ranked #53 and Louise #476 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Emma was ranked #69 and Louise #952 among girls in England and Wales.
Emma and Louise over time
Emma and Louise appear together in 6 published lists, across 228 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Louise in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Louise reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1975, Emma moved ahead of Louise in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #42 and #36 the year before became #22 and #35.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Emma and Louise changed places 6 times in Norway · Girls between 1946 and 2025, ending at #1 and #59.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 25 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Emma and Louise averaged 41.2 places apart, ending at #4 and #100.
- Mirrored each other
Over 26 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Emma rose about as far as Louise fell — from #99 and #40 in 1969 to #5 and #100 in 1994.
- Longest-running competitions
Emma and Louise were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 65 years, from 1946 to 2025, ending at #1 and #59.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Emma #13 in 1997, Louise #44 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Girls65 shared years, 1946–2025
Emma held the stronger position in 59 of those years, Louise in 6.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Louise #59 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #1, Louise #59.
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Emma held the stronger position in 45 of those years, Louise in 17.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Louise #5 in 1980.
The order changed in 1983: Emma moved ahead. In 1982 they stood at #8 and #7; by 1983 that had become #7 and #10.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #28, Louise #213.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Emma held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Louise in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #13 in 1997, Louise #44 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emma #69, Louise #952.
New Zealand · Girls26 shared years, 1969–1994
Emma held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Louise in 5.
Highest recorded here: Emma #2 in 1988, Louise #27 in 1980.
The order changed in 1974: Emma moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #56 and #44; by 1974 that had become #33 and #42.
Most recent shared year, 1994: Emma #5, Louise #100.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls25 shared years, 1969–1995
Emma held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Louise in 6.
Highest recorded here: Emma #3 in 1988, Louise #23 in 1969.
The order changed in 1975: Emma moved ahead. In 1974 they stood at #42 and #36; by 1975 that had become #22 and #35.
Most recent shared year, 1995: Emma #4, Louise #100.
Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 1997–2017
Emma held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Louise in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Louise #33 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Emma #22, Louise #296.
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 | Louise |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | The French feminine form of Louis, from Germanic elements 'hlud' (famous) and 'wig' (warrior) — 'famous warrior'. |
| Origin | Germanic | Germanic, via French transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛm.ə/ | /lu.ˈiz/ |
| 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 #59 (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 Louise is recorded with a Germanic, via French transmission origin.
- Emma and Louise both have 2 syllables.
- Emma's recorded meaning differs from Louise'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
Louise
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #379 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1980 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #59 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls