Fern vs Gemma
Fern and Gemmacompared 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.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Fern was ranked #311 and Gemma #1541 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Fern was ranked #544 and Gemma #718 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Fern and Gemma over time
Fern and Gemma appear together in 2 published lists, across 46 years of shared records. Gemma held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Fern 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.
Fern reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Gemma 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.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Fern #233 in 1996, Gemma #50 in 1996.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Fern held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Gemma in 17.
Highest recorded here: Fern #233 in 1996, Gemma #50 in 1996.
The order changed in 2013: Fern moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #663 and #580; by 2013 that had become #626 and #982.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Fern #311, Gemma #1541.
Republic of Ireland · Girls17 shared years, 1982–2025
Fern held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Gemma in 14.
Highest recorded here: Fern #457 in 1991, Gemma #51 in 1997.
The order changed in 2025: Fern moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #736 and #736; by 2025 that had become #544 and #718.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Fern #544, Gemma #718.
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 | Fern | Gemma |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #544 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #718 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Fern has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Gemma.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Fern
Popularity journey
First recorded1982
First recorded at #523 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1982 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #233 among girls in England and Wales, in 1996 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #544 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Gemma
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #149 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1982–2008
Highest recorded position: #17 among girls in New Zealand, in 1984 (recorded 1982–2008).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #718 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls