Eva vs Maria
Eva and Mariacompared 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, Eva was ranked #22 and Maria #62 among girls in Norway.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2016, Eva was ranked #23 and Maria #78 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Eva was ranked #42 and Maria #97 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Eva was ranked #54 and Maria #91 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Eva was ranked #62 and Maria #120 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Eva was ranked #69 and Maria #74 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Eva and Maria over time
Eva and Maria appear together in 5 published lists, across 210 years of shared records. Eva held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Maria in 2.
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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 2 of the lists they share.
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 2003, Eva moved ahead of Maria in England and Wales · Girls — #138 and #110 the year before became #104 and #108.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Eva and Maria averaged 52.9 places apart, ending at #54 and #91.
- Mirrored each other
Over 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Eva rose about as far as Maria fell — from #147 and #61 in 1997 to #42 and #97 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
Eva and Maria were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #22 and #62.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Eva #8 in 2009, Maria #49 in 2009.
List by list
Norway · Girls81 shared years, 1945–2025
Eva held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Maria in 44.
Highest recorded here: Eva #6 in 1952, Maria #3 in 1982.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Eva #22, Maria #62.
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Eva held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Maria in 35.
Highest recorded here: Eva #37 in 2016, Maria #23 in 1967.
The order changed in 2023: Eva moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #59 and #54; by 2023 that had become #52 and #73.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Eva #69, Maria #74.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Eva held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Maria in 7.
Highest recorded here: Eva #24 in 2012, Maria #66 in 2018.
The order changed in 2003: Eva moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #138 and #110; by 2003 that had become #104 and #108.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Eva #54, Maria #91.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Eva held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Maria in 5.
Highest recorded here: Eva #8 in 2009, Maria #49 in 2009.
The order changed in 2003: Eva moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #75 and #55; by 2003 that had become #45 and #66.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Eva #42, Maria #97.
New Zealand · Girls10 shared years, 2002–2016
Eva held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Maria in 0.
Highest recorded here: Eva #19 in 2012, Maria #77 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2016: Eva #23, Maria #78.
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 | Eva | Maria |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A form of Eve used across many languages, from the Hebrew root 'hawa'. | The Latin form of Greek Maria, from Hebrew Miryam (see Mary). |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeh.vah/ | /mɑ.ˈriː.ɑ/ |
| 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 #22 (2025) | Norway · Girls #62 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Eva is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Maria is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission origin.
- Eva and Maria both have 2 syllables.
- Eva's recorded meaning differs from Maria'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
Eva
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #8 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #6 among girls in Norway, in 1952 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #80 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Maria
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #126 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Norway, in 1982 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #62 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls