Emma vs Maia
Emma and Maia compared 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 Maia #131 among girls in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Emma was ranked #28 and Maia #213 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Emma was ranked #67 and Maia #35 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Emma was ranked #53 and Maia #164 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Emma was ranked #84 and Maia #253 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Emma was ranked #85 and Maia #197 among girls in England and Wales.
Emma and Maia over time
Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.
Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.
Emma and Maia over time
Emma and Maia appear together in 5 published lists, across 150 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Maia 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.
Emma reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Maia 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 2020, Maia moved ahead of Emma in New Zealand · Girls — #27 and #36 the year before became #45 and #38.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 25 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Emma and Maia averaged 26.8 places apart, ending at #67 and #35.
- Longest-running competitions
Emma and Maia were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #85 and #197.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Emma #1 in 2003, Maia #15 in 2005.
List by list
Norway · Girls42 shared years, 1979–2025
Emma held the stronger position in 42 of those years, Maia in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Maia #95 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #1, Maia #131.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Emma held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Maia in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #13 in 1997, Maia #176 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #85, Maia #197.
Republic of Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1999–2025
Emma held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Maia in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Maia #118 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #28, Maia #213.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1999–2024
Emma held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Maia in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Maia #132 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emma #84, Maia #253.
New Zealand · Girls25 shared years, 1999–2023
Emma held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Maia in 4.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Maia #15 in 2005.
The order changed in 2020: Maia moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #27 and #36; by 2020 that had become #45 and #38.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Emma #67, Maia #35.
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 2025 they were #85 and #1454.
Emma · Danielle · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · 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 2025 they were #85 and #816.
Emma · Megan · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · 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 2025 they were #85 and #585.
Emma · Bethany · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · 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
Other comparisons involving Maia
Pairs where Maia shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Maia vs Hedvig
Maia and Hedvig changed places 17 times in Norway · Girls between 1979 and 2025, ending at #131 and #19.
Maia · Hedvig · 42 shared years, 1979–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
- Charlotte vs Maia
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Charlotte #1 in 2006, Maia #15 in 2005.
Charlotte · Maia · 25 shared years, 1999–2023 · Peaked in the same years
- Ella vs Maia
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Ella #1 in 2007, Maia #15 in 2005.
Ella · Maia · 25 shared years, 1999–2023 · Peaked in the same years
- Sophia vs Maia
Across 25 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Sophia and Maia averaged 13.1 places apart, ending at #29 and #35.
Sophia · Maia · 25 shared years, 1999–2023 · Closest over the longest run
Other pairs with the same kind of relationship
Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — peaked in the same years.
- Jason vs Aaron
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Jason #1 in 1970, Aaron #8 in 1972.
Jason · Aaron · 39 shared years, 1966–2004 · Peaked in the same years
- Ava vs Abigail
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Ava #1 in 2008, Abigail #36 in 2008.
Ava · Abigail · 44 shared years, 1978–2025 · Peaked in the same years
- Charlotte vs Abigail
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Charlotte #1 in 2012, Abigail #24 in 2010.
Charlotte · Abigail · 24 shared years, 2002–2025 · Peaked in the same years
- Emma vs Abigail
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Emma #1 in 2003, Abigail #29 in 2005.
Emma · Abigail · 28 shared years, 1997–2024 · Peaked in the same years
Other pairs from New Zealand lists
Pairs measured inside New Zealand's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.
- George vs Patrick
Over 64 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, George rose about as far as Patrick fell — from #50 and #60 in 1954 to #6 and #93 in 2020.
George · Patrick · 64 shared years, 1954–2020 · Mirrored each other
- Patrick vs Alexander
Over 56 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Alexander rose about as far as Patrick fell — from #60 and #73 in 1954 to #93 and #32 in 2020.
Patrick · Alexander · 56 shared years, 1954–2020 · Mirrored each other
- James vs Timothy
Over 52 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, James rose about as far as Timothy fell — from #20 and #61 in 1954 to #5 and #100 in 2005.
James · Timothy · 52 shared years, 1954–2005 · Mirrored each other
- Joseph vs Timothy
Over 52 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Joseph rose about as far as Timothy fell — from #66 and #61 in 1954 to #27 and #100 in 2005.
Joseph · Timothy · 52 shared years, 1954–2005 · Mirrored each other
Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s
Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.
- Grace vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #41 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2025 they were #27 and #4867.
Grace · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Ella vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #56 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2025 they were #46 and #4867.
Ella · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Jasmine vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #55 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #102 and #4867.
Jasmine · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Anna vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #47 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2025 they were #142 and #4867.
Anna · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
Side by side
| Field | Emma | Maia |
|---|---|---|
| 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 genuinely multi-origin name rather than one shared etymology. In Maori, maia (usually written with a macron, maia) is an adjective/noun meaning 'brave, bold, confident' — Te Aka also separately lists Maia as an alternate name for Waiti, a star in the Pleiades cluster. In Greek and Roman mythology, Maia was the eldest of the seven Pleiades, mother of Hermes by Zeus, with a proposed meaning of 'good mother', possibly a nursery-form of the word for 'mother'. It is also used as a form of Maria in Estonian and Basque. |
| Origin | Germanic | Genuinely multiple, independent origins — Maori, Greek/Roman mythology, and Estonian/Basque |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛm.ə/ | /ˈmai̯a/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | New South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New Zealand | England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New Zealand |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #1 (2025) | Norway · Girls #131 (2025) |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Emma is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Maia is recorded with a Genuinely multiple, independent origins — Maori, Greek/Roman mythology, and Estonian/Basque origin.
- Emma has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Maia.
- Emma's recorded meaning differs from Maia's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in 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 #85 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Maia
Popularity journey
First recorded1979
First recorded at #584 among girls in Norway in 1979 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1999–2023
Highest recorded position: #15 among girls in New Zealand, in 2005 (recorded 1999–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #197 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls