Namewise

Gemma vs Ida

Gemma and Idacompared 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, Gemma was ranked #1541 and Ida #337 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2016, Gemma was ranked #353 and Ida #440 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Gemma was ranked #718 and Ida #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Gemma and Ida over time

Gemma and Ida appear together in 2 published lists, across 50 years of shared records. Gemma held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Ida 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.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 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.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 19962024

    Gemma held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Ida in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Gemma #50 in 1996, Ida #257 in 2021.

    The order changed in 2013: Ida moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #580 and #624; by 2013 that had become #982 and #542.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Gemma #1541, Ida #337.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 19642025

    Gemma held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Ida in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Gemma #81 in 1977, Ida #325 in 1965.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Gemma #718, Ida #885.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Gemma, Ida
FieldGemmaIda
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedCommonly traced to a Germanic element possibly meaning 'work' or 'labour'.
OriginNot yet recordedGermanic, used across Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and German tradition
Pronunciation/ˈiːdɑ/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #718 (2025)Norway · Girls #37 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Ida has a recorded origin (Germanic, used across Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and German tradition); Gemma does not have one recorded yet.
  • Gemma and Ida both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Ida; Gemma doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.

How each name got here

Gemma

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1982–2008

    Highest recorded position: #17 among girls in New Zealand, in 1984 (recorded 1982–2008).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #718 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

Ida

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #204 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Norway, in 1988 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #37 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls