Namewise

Freya vs Mila

Freya and Milacompared 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 Mila #30 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Freya was ranked #6 and Mila #40 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Freya was ranked #10 and Mila #150 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2023, Freya was ranked #31 and Mila #11 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2025, Freya was ranked #49 and Mila #21 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Freya was ranked #25 and Mila #80 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Freya was ranked #147 and Mila #102 among girls in Norway.

Freya and Mila over time

Freya and Mila appear together in 6 published lists, across 105 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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.

Mila reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Freya 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.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Freya and Mila were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #6 and #40.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Freya #5 in 2023, Mila #35 in 2023.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Freya held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Mila in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Freya #5 in 2023, Mila #35 in 2023.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Freya #6, Mila #40.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 2002–2025

    Freya held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Mila in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Freya #12 in 2024, Mila #58 in 2022.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Freya #25, Mila #80.

  • Norway · Girls18 shared years, 2008–2025

    Freya held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Mila in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Freya #115 in 2023, Mila #82 in 2019.

    The order changed in 2011: Mila moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #368 and #433; by 2011 that had become #279 and #247.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Freya #147, Mila #102.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls14 shared years, 2011–2024

    Freya held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Mila in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Freya #9 in 2022, Mila #72 in 2018.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Freya #10, Mila #150.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls10 shared years, 2016–2025

    Freya held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mila in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Freya #38 in 2023, Mila #18 in 2022.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Freya #49, Mila #21.

  • New Zealand · Girls10 shared years, 2014–2023

    Freya held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mila in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Freya #22 in 2021, Mila #4 in 2022.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Freya #31, Mila #11.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Freya

Pairs where Freya shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Mila

Pairs where Mila shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

  • Mila vs Aurora

    Mila and Aurora both rose over the same years in 5 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; New South Wales, Australia · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Norway · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Mila · Aurora · 33 shared years, 1982–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Mila vs Daisy

    Mila and Daisy both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; New South Wales, Australia · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Mila · Daisy · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Mila vs Elsie

    Mila and Elsie both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; New South Wales, Australia · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Mila · Elsie · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Nora vs Mila

    Nora and Mila both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Norway · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Nora · Mila · 34 shared years, 1981–2025 · Moved together in several countries

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — moved together in several countries.

  • Christopher vs Paul

    Christopher and Paul both fell over the same years in 6 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Norway · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Christopher · Paul · 80 shared years, 1946–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Oliver vs Leo

    Oliver and Leo both rose over the same years in 6 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Norway · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Oliver · Leo · 63 shared years, 1959–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Oliver vs Luca

    Oliver and Luca both rose over the same years in 6 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Norway · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Oliver · Luca · 43 shared years, 1973–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Amelia vs Sofia

    Amelia and Sofia both rose over the same years in 5 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; New South Wales, Australia · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Norway · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Amelia · Sofia · 36 shared years, 1972–2025 · Moved together in several countries

All moved together in several countries→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Freya, Mila
FieldFreyaMila
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'lady' or 'noblewoman'.Commonly interpreted as 'gracious, dear', from the Slavic element milu. Originally used as a short form of longer names containing that element before becoming an independent given name.
OriginOld NorseSlavic
Pronunciation/ˈfreɪə//ˈmi.ɫa/
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesFreyja, FrejaNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationScotland · Girls #1 (2025)New South Wales, Australia · Girls #21 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Freya is recorded with a Old Norse origin, while Mila is recorded with a Slavic origin.
  • Freya has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Mila.
  • Freya's recorded meaning differs from Mila's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Freya a "high" Data Confidence level and Mila 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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded2024–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Scotland, in 2025 (recorded 2024–2025).

    Scotland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #6 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Mila

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1981

    First recorded at #653 among girls in Norway in 1981 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded2010–2023

    Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in New Zealand, in 2022 (recorded 2010–2023).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #40 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls