Emma vs Olivia
Emma and Oliviacompared 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.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Emma was ranked #69 and Olivia #1 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Emma was ranked #1 and Olivia #2 among girls in Norway.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Emma was ranked #53 and Olivia #1 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Emma was ranked #84 and Olivia #2 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Emma was ranked #65 and Olivia #3 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Emma was ranked #67 and Olivia #4 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Emma was ranked #28 and Olivia #8 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Emma and Olivia over time
Emma and Olivia appear together in 6 published lists, across 251 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Emma reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Olivia 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 1999, Olivia moved ahead of Emma in England and Wales · Girls — #15 and #16 the year before became #17 and #4.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Emma and Olivia changed places 7 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1977 and 2023, ending at #67 and #4.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Emma and Olivia averaged 37.2 places apart, ending at #69 and #1.
- Longest-running competitions
Emma and Olivia were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 42 years, from 1978 to 2025, ending at #65 and #3.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Emma held the stronger position in 51 of those years, Olivia in 11.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Olivia #4 in 1975.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #28, Olivia #8.
New Zealand · Girls47 shared years, 1977–2023
Emma held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Olivia in 20.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Olivia #1 in 2012.
The order changed in 2007: Olivia moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #4 and #5; by 2007 that had become #4 and #3.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Emma #67, Olivia #4.
Norway · Girls43 shared years, 1964–2025
Emma held the stronger position in 43 of those years, Olivia in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Olivia #2 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #1, Olivia #2.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls42 shared years, 1978–2025
Emma held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Olivia in 27.
Highest recorded here: Emma #3 in 1988, Olivia #1 in 2014.
The order changed in 1999: Olivia moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #5 and #7; by 1999 that had become #7 and #5.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #65, Olivia #3.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Emma held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Olivia in 26.
Highest recorded here: Emma #13 in 1997, Olivia #1 in 2008.
The order changed in 1999: Olivia moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #15 and #16; by 1999 that had become #17 and #4.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emma #69, Olivia #1.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Emma held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Olivia in 15.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Olivia #2 in 2024.
The order changed in 2010: Olivia moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #6 and #17; by 2010 that had become #9 and #5.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emma #84, Olivia #2.
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 | Olivia |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Commonly interpreted as 'olive tree' or 'symbol of peace'. |
| Origin | Germanic | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛm.ə/ | /əˈlɪviə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Olivea, Liv, Livvy, Oliwia |
| 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 #2 (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 | high |
What the data shows
- Emma is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Olivia is recorded with a Latin origin.
- Emma has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Olivia.
- Emma's recorded meaning differs from Olivia's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Emma a "medium" Data Confidence level and Olivia a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
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
Olivia
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #488 among girls in Norway in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2008 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #3 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls