Emma vs Madeleine
Emma and Madeleinecompared 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 Madeleine #327 among girls in Norway.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2016, Emma was ranked #26 and Madeleine #98 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Emma was ranked #28 and Madeleine #544 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2018, Emma was ranked #31 and Madeleine #88 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2019, Emma was ranked #34 and Madeleine #424 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Emma was ranked #53 and Madeleine #295 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Emma was ranked #69 and Madeleine #274 among girls in England and Wales.
Emma and Madeleine over time
Emma and Madeleine appear together in 6 published lists, across 187 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Madeleine in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Emma reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Madeleine 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Emma and Madeleine changed places 4 times in Norway · Girls between 1966 and 2025, ending at #1 and #327.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 27 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Emma and Madeleine averaged 52.6 places apart, ending at #31 and #88.
- Mirrored each other
Over 45 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Emma rose about as far as Madeleine fell — from #245 and #327 in 1964 to #28 and #544 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Emma and Madeleine were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 52 years, from 1966 to 2025, ending at #1 and #327.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Emma #1 in 2005, Madeleine #69 in 2007.
List by list
Norway · Girls52 shared years, 1966–2025
Emma held the stronger position in 47 of those years, Madeleine in 5.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Madeleine #79 in 1989.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #1, Madeleine #327.
Republic of Ireland · Girls45 shared years, 1964–2025
Emma held the stronger position in 45 of those years, Madeleine in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Madeleine #288 in 1966.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #28, Madeleine #544.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Emma held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Madeleine in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #13 in 1997, Madeleine #64 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emma #69, Madeleine #274.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls27 shared years, 1990–2018
Emma held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Madeleine in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #3 in 1990, Madeleine #35 in 1995.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Emma #31, Madeleine #88.
Northern Ireland · Girls18 shared years, 1999–2019
Emma held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Madeleine in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Madeleine #202 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Emma #34, Madeleine #424.
New Zealand · Girls16 shared years, 1993–2016
Emma held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Madeleine in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2005, Madeleine #69 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2016: Emma #26, Madeleine #98.
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.
Where to go next
Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.
Other comparisons involving Emma
Pairs where Emma shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Emma vs Danielle
In 1996 they stood at #14 and #20 in England and Wales · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2024 they were #69 and #934.
Emma · Danielle · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
- Emma vs Bethany
In 1996 they stood at #14 and #13 in England and Wales · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2024 they were #69 and #539.
Emma · Bethany · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
- Emma vs Megan
In 1996 they stood at #14 and #10 in England and Wales · Girls, 4 places apart; by 2024 they were #69 and #503.
Emma · Megan · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
- Emma vs Courtney
In 1997 they stood at #4 and #12 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 8 places apart; by 2017 they were #22 and #432.
Emma · Courtney · 21 shared years, 1997–2017 · Started together, ended far apart
Side by side
| Field | Emma | Madeleine |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| 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. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Germanic | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛm.ə/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 4 |
| 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 #327 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 70/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Emma has a recorded origin (Germanic); Madeleine does not have one recorded yet.
- Emma has 2 syllables, compared with 4 for Madeleine.
- A meaning is recorded for Emma; Madeleine doesn't have one written yet.
- 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
Madeleine
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #327 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1990–2018
Highest recorded position: #35 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1995 (recorded 1990–2018).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #327 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls