Namewise

Isabella vs Olivia

Isabella and Oliviacompared 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 2025, Isabella was ranked #10 and Olivia #1 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Isabella was ranked #50 and Olivia #1 among girls in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Isabella was ranked #44 and Olivia #2 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Isabella was ranked #122 and Olivia #2 among girls in Norway.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2025, Isabella was ranked #17 and Olivia #3 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2023, Isabella was ranked #15 and Olivia #4 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Isabella was ranked #48 and Olivia #8 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Isabella and Olivia over time

Isabella and Olivia appear together in 6 published lists, across 206 years of shared records. Olivia held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Isabella in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Isabella reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Olivia in 2. 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.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Isabella and Olivia changed places 6 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1993 and 2025, ending at #17 and #3.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Isabella and Olivia averaged 23.3 places apart, ending at #10 and #1.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Isabella and Olivia were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #10 and #1.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls47 shared years, 1964–2025

    Isabella held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Olivia in 47.

    Highest recorded here: Isabella #41 in 2014, Olivia #4 in 1975.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Isabella #48, Olivia #8.

  • Norway · Girls41 shared years, 1978–2025

    Isabella held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Olivia in 27.

    Highest recorded here: Isabella #42 in 2010, Olivia #2 in 2023.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Isabella #122, Olivia #2.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls33 shared years, 1993–2025

    Isabella held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Olivia in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Isabella #1 in 2007, Olivia #1 in 2014.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Isabella #17, Olivia #3.

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

    Isabella held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Olivia in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Isabella #6 in 2016, Olivia #1 in 2008.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Isabella #10, Olivia #1.

  • New Zealand · Girls29 shared years, 1995–2023

    Isabella held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Olivia in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Isabella #4 in 2008, Olivia #1 in 2012.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Isabella #15, Olivia #4.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1999–2024

    Isabella held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Olivia in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Isabella #27 in 2019, Olivia #2 in 2024.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Isabella #44, Olivia #2.

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 Isabella

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

Other comparisons involving Olivia

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

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

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 Isabella, Olivia
FieldIsabellaOlivia
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningMy God is an oath (via Elizabeth).Commonly interpreted as 'olive tree' or 'symbol of peace'.
OriginSpanish/Italian, via ElizabethLatin
Pronunciation/ˌɪzəˈbɛlə//əˈlɪviə/
Syllables43
Common variants / nicknamesBella, Izzy, Isabel, IsobelOlivea, Liv, Livvy, Oliwia
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 observationEngland and Wales · Girls #10 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #1 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)76/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighhigh

What the data shows

  • Isabella is recorded with a Spanish/Italian, via Elizabeth origin, while Olivia is recorded with a Latin origin.
  • Isabella has 4 syllables, compared with 3 for Olivia.
  • Isabella's recorded meaning differs from Olivia's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Isabella

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1960

    First recorded at #472 among girls in Norway in 1960 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1993–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2007 (recorded 1993–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #10 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Olivia

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #488 among girls in Norway in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2008 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls