Emma vs Suzanne
Emma and Suzannecompared 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 2005, Emma was ranked #1 and Suzanne #441 among girls in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2018, Emma was ranked #3 and Suzanne #734 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1981, Emma was ranked #6 and Suzanne #90 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1982, Emma was ranked #9 and Suzanne #100 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2015, Emma was ranked #20 and Suzanne #426 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Emma was ranked #69 and Suzanne #3015 among girls in England and Wales.
Emma and Suzanne over time
Emma and Suzanne appear together in 6 published lists, across 149 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Suzanne in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Suzanne reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Emma 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 took the other's place near the top
In New Zealand · Girls, Emma moved into the top 50 at #33 in 1974 as Suzanne fell out of it to #57, having been #50 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1973, Emma moved ahead of Suzanne in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #64 and #52 the year before became #49 and #54.
- Longest-running competitions
Emma and Suzanne were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 35 years, from 1955 to 2005, ending at #1 and #441.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Emma #13 in 1997, Suzanne #364 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls52 shared years, 1964–2018
Emma held the stronger position in 42 of those years, Suzanne in 10.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Suzanne #42 in 1972.
The order changed in 1974: Emma moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #50 and #48; by 1974 that had become #41 and #43.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Emma #3, Suzanne #734.
Norway · Girls35 shared years, 1955–2005
Emma held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Suzanne in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Suzanne #272 in 1986.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Emma #1, Suzanne #441.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Emma held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Suzanne in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #13 in 1997, Suzanne #364 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emma #69, Suzanne #3015.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls12 shared years, 1969–1982
Emma held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Suzanne in 4.
Highest recorded here: Emma #9 in 1982, Suzanne #35 in 1969.
The order changed in 1973: Emma moved ahead. In 1972 they stood at #64 and #52; by 1973 that had become #49 and #54.
Most recent shared year, 1982: Emma #9, Suzanne #100.
New Zealand · Girls12 shared years, 1969–1981
Emma held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Suzanne in 5.
Highest recorded here: Emma #6 in 1981, Suzanne #34 in 1971.
The order changed in 1974: Emma moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #56 and #50; by 1974 that had become #33 and #57.
Most recent shared year, 1981: Emma #6, Suzanne #90.
Northern Ireland · Girls9 shared years, 1997–2015
Emma held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Suzanne in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Suzanne #194 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Emma #20, Suzanne #426.
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 | Suzanne |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| 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. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Germanic | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛm.ə/ | |
| 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, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #1 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #3015 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Emma has a recorded origin (Germanic); Suzanne does not have one recorded yet.
- Emma has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Suzanne.
- A meaning is recorded for Emma; Suzanne doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, 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 #65 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Suzanne
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #25 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1982
Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1954 (recorded 1952–1982).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #3015 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls