Namewise

Ilona vs Ulla

Ilona and Ullacompared 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 1989, Ilona was ranked #570 and Ulla #646 among girls in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2023, Ilona was ranked #5687 and Ulla #5687 among girls in England and Wales.

Ilona and Ulla over time

Ilona and Ulla appear together in 1 published list, across 23 years of shared records. Ilona held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Ulla 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.

Ulla reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Ilona 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.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls23 shared years, 19521989

    Ilona held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Ulla in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Ilona #277 in 1967, Ulla #166 in 1959.

    The order changed in 1974: Ilona moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #534 and #385; by 1974 that had become #426 and #528.

    Most recent shared year, 1989: Ilona #570, Ulla #646.

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 Ilona, Ulla
FieldIlonaUlla
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, IE, NOGB-ENW, NO
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Girls #4843 (2024)Norway · Girls #386 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/10060/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Ilona has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Ulla.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, NO.

How each name got here

Ilona

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #413 among girls in Norway in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1952–1999

    Highest recorded position: #277 among girls in Norway, in 1967 (recorded 1952–1999).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #4843 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Girls

Ulla

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #217 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: #166 among girls in Norway, in 1959 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #386 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls