Emma vs Sophie
Emma and Sophiecompared 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 Sophie #178 among girls in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Emma was ranked #28 and Sophie #6 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Emma was ranked #67 and Sophie #14 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Emma was ranked #84 and Sophie #14 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Emma was ranked #53 and Sophie #17 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Emma was ranked #65 and Sophie #22 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Emma was ranked #85 and Sophie #63 among girls in England and Wales.
Emma and Sophie over time
Emma and Sophie appear together in 6 published lists, across 248 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, Sophie 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 2004, Sophie moved ahead of Emma in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #7 and #11 the year before became #9 and #5.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Emma and Sophie changed places 7 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1967 and 2025, ending at #28 and #6.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Emma and Sophie averaged 27.4 places apart, ending at #85 and #63.
- Longest-running competitions
Emma and Sophie were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #85 and #63.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Emma #13 in 1997, Sophie #1 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls56 shared years, 1967–2025
Emma held the stronger position in 43 of those years, Sophie in 13.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Sophie #1 in 2009.
The order changed in 2019: Sophie moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #3 and #4; by 2019 that had become #12 and #4.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #28, Sophie #6.
Norway · Girls53 shared years, 1966–2025
Emma held the stronger position in 53 of those years, Sophie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Sophie #106 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #1, Sophie #178.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls41 shared years, 1985–2025
Emma held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Sophie in 24.
Highest recorded here: Emma #3 in 1988, Sophie #5 in 2004.
The order changed in 2004: Sophie moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #7 and #11; by 2004 that had become #9 and #5.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #65, Sophie #22.
New Zealand · Girls40 shared years, 1984–2023
Emma held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Sophie in 19.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Sophie #1 in 2008.
The order changed in 2006: Sophie moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #1 and #6; by 2006 that had become #4 and #3.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Emma #67, Sophie #14.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Emma held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophie in 30.
Highest recorded here: Emma #13 in 1997, Sophie #1 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #85, Sophie #63.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Emma held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Sophie in 19.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Sophie #1 in 2010.
The order changed in 2006: Sophie moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #2 and #4; by 2006 that had become #4 and #3.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emma #84, Sophie #14.
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 | Sophie |
|---|---|---|
| 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 form of Sophia, from Ancient Greek 'sophia' meaning 'wisdom'. |
| Origin | Germanic | Greek, via French transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛm.ə/ | /sɔ.fi/ |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · 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 | medium |
What the data shows
- Emma is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Sophie is recorded with a Greek, via French transmission origin.
- Emma and Sophie both have 2 syllables.
- Emma's recorded meaning differs from Sophie'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 #85 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Sophie
Popularity journey
First recorded1960
First recorded at #492 among girls in Norway in 1960 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 1996 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #63 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls