Emma vs Sophia
Emma and Sophiacompared 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 Sophia #88 among girls in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Emma was ranked #65 and Sophia #6 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Emma was ranked #53 and Sophia #6 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Emma was ranked #84 and Sophia #8 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Emma was ranked #69 and Sophia #13 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Emma was ranked #28 and Sophia #14 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Emma was ranked #67 and Sophia #29 among girls in New Zealand.
Emma and Sophia over time
Emma and Sophia appear together in 6 published lists, across 213 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Sophia in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 5 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 6 of those lists, and Sophia 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 2009, Sophia moved ahead of Emma in England and Wales · Girls — #31 and #39 the year before became #41 and #35.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Emma and Sophia changed places 7 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1995 and 2023, ending at #67 and #29.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Emma and Sophia averaged 46.9 places apart, ending at #69 and #13.
- Longest-running competitions
Emma and Sophia were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 40 years, from 1983 to 2025, ending at #1 and #88.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls60 shared years, 1965–2025
Emma held the stronger position in 56 of those years, Sophia in 3.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Sophia #13 in 2023.
The order changed in 2025: Sophia moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #17 and #19; by 2025 that had become #28 and #14.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #28, Sophia #14.
Norway · Girls40 shared years, 1983–2025
Emma held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Sophia in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Sophia #59 in 2014.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #1, Sophia #88.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Emma held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Sophia in 16.
Highest recorded here: Emma #13 in 1997, Sophia #7 in 2019.
The order changed in 2009: Sophia moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #31 and #39; by 2009 that had become #41 and #35.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emma #69, Sophia #13.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2025
Emma held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Sophia in 15.
Highest recorded here: Emma #4 in 1997, Sophia #6 in 2025.
The order changed in 2011: Sophia moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #16 and #17; by 2011 that had become #17 and #15.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #65, Sophia #6.
New Zealand · Girls28 shared years, 1995–2023
Emma held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Sophia in 9.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Sophia #9 in 2012.
The order changed in 2018: Sophia moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #18 and #23; by 2018 that had become #26 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Emma #67, Sophia #29.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Emma held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Sophia in 14.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Sophia #4 in 2011.
The order changed in 2011: Sophia moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #9 and #29; by 2011 that had become #16 and #4.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emma #84, Sophia #8.
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 | Sophia |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Wisdom. |
| Origin | Germanic | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛm.ə/ | /soʊˈfiə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Sophie, Sofia |
| 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) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #6 (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 Sophia is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Emma and Sophia both have 2 syllables.
- Emma's recorded meaning differs from Sophia'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 Sophia 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
Sophia
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #325 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2011 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #6 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls