Freya vs Maddison
Freya and Maddisoncompared 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.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Freya was ranked #3 and Maddison #130 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Freya was ranked #7 and Maddison #121 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Freya was ranked #10 and Maddison #169 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Freya was ranked #25 and Maddison #226 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Freya was ranked #31 and Maddison #81 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2020, Freya was ranked #50 and Maddison #87 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Freya and Maddison over time
Freya and Maddison appear together in 5 published lists, across 96 years of shared records. Freya held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Maddison in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Maddison reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Freya 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, Freya moved into the top 50 at #27 in 2018 as Maddison fell out of it to #58, having been #44 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2018, Freya moved ahead of Maddison in New Zealand · Girls — #56 and #44 the year before became #27 and #58.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Freya #12 in 2024, Maddison #183 in 2023.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Freya held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Maddison in 0.
Highest recorded here: Freya #5 in 2023, Maddison #63 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Freya #7, Maddison #121.
Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 2004–2024
Freya held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Maddison in 1.
Highest recorded here: Freya #9 in 2022, Maddison #123 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Freya #10, Maddison #169.
Republic of Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 2002–2025
Freya held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Maddison in 0.
Highest recorded here: Freya #12 in 2024, Maddison #183 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Freya #25, Maddison #226.
Scotland · Girls15 shared years, 2024–2024
Freya held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Maddison in 0.
Highest recorded here: Freya #3 in 2024, Maddison #130 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Freya #3, Maddison #130.
New Zealand · Girls10 shared years, 2014–2023
Freya held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Maddison in 4.
Highest recorded here: Freya #22 in 2021, Maddison #35 in 2014.
The order changed in 2018: Freya moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #56 and #44; by 2018 that had become #27 and #58.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Freya #31, Maddison #81.
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 | Freya | Maddison |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'lady' or 'noblewoman'. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Old Norse | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈfreɪə/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 1 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Freyja, Freja | 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Scotland · Girls #1 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #226 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Freya has a recorded origin (Old Norse); Maddison does not have one recorded yet.
- Freya has 1 syllable, compared with 3 for Maddison.
- A meaning is recorded for Freya; Maddison doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Freya a "high" Data Confidence level and Maddison a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Freya
Popularity journey
First recorded1987
First recorded at #488 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1987 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded2024–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Scotland, in 2025 (recorded 2024–2025).
Scotland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #49 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Maddison
Popularity journey
First recorded1992
First recorded at #99 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1992 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1992–2020
Highest recorded position: #13 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1998 (recorded 1992–2020).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #226 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls