Emma vs Stephanie
Emma and Stephaniecompared 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.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2005, Emma was ranked #1 and Stephanie #99 among girls in New Zealand.
Norway · Girls
In 2018, Emma was ranked #1 and Stephanie #527 among girls in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2010, Emma was ranked #16 and Stephanie #73 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Emma was ranked #28 and Stephanie #294 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Emma was ranked #53 and Stephanie #541 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Emma was ranked #85 and Stephanie #719 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Emma was ranked #95 and Stephanie #391 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Emma and Stephanie over time
Emma and Stephanie appear together in 6 published lists, across 226 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Stephanie in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Stephanie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Emma 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 1974, Emma moved ahead of Stephanie in New Zealand · Girls — #56 and #43 the year before became #33 and #47.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 42 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Emma and Stephanie averaged 31.3 places apart, ending at #16 and #73.
- Mirrored each other
Over 33 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Emma rose about as far as Stephanie fell — from #99 and #52 in 1969 to #1 and #99 in 2005.
- Longest-running competitions
Emma and Stephanie were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #85 and #719.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Emma #13 in 1997, Stephanie #48 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Emma held the stronger position in 56 of those years, Stephanie in 6.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Stephanie #23 in 1990.
The order changed in 1970: Emma moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #139 and #133; by 1970 that had become #93 and #123.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #28, Stephanie #294.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls42 shared years, 1969–2010
Emma held the stronger position in 41 of those years, Stephanie in 1.
Highest recorded here: Emma #3 in 1988, Stephanie #5 in 1994.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2010: Emma #16, Stephanie #73.
Norway · Girls37 shared years, 1966–2018
Emma held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Stephanie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Stephanie #178 in 1989.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Emma #1, Stephanie #527.
New Zealand · Girls33 shared years, 1969–2005
Emma held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Stephanie in 5.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2005, Stephanie #11 in 1991.
The order changed in 1974: Emma moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #56 and #43; by 1974 that had become #33 and #47.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Emma #1, Stephanie #99.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Emma held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Stephanie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #13 in 1997, Stephanie #48 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #85, Stephanie #719.
Northern Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 1997–2023
Emma held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Stephanie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Stephanie #50 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Emma #95, Stephanie #391.
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 | Stephanie |
|---|---|---|
| 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 feminine form of Stephen, from Greek Stephanos meaning 'crown, wreath'. |
| Origin | Germanic | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛm.ə/ | /ˈstɛf.ə.ni/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| 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 #294 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 65/100 |
| 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 is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Stephanie is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Emma has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Stephanie.
- Emma's recorded meaning differs from Stephanie'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
Stephanie
Popularity journey
First recorded1953
First recorded at #97 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1953–2010
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1994 (recorded 1953–2010).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #719 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls