Isabella vs Sophie
Isabella and Sophiecompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Isabella was ranked #48 and Sophie #6 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Isabella was ranked #10 and Sophie #63 among girls in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Isabella was ranked #15 and Sophie #14 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Isabella was ranked #44 and Sophie #14 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Isabella was ranked #17 and Sophie #22 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Isabella was ranked #50 and Sophie #17 among girls in Scotland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Isabella was ranked #122 and Sophie #178 among girls in Norway.
Isabella and Sophie over time
Isabella and Sophie appear together in 6 published lists, across 212 years of shared records. Sophie held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Isabella in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Sophie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Isabella 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2013, Isabella moved ahead of Sophie in England and Wales · Girls — #10 and #9 the year before became #8 and #9.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Isabella and Sophie changed places 7 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1993 and 2025, ending at #17 and #22.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Isabella and Sophie averaged 29.8 places apart, ending at #10 and #63.
- Longest-running competitions
Isabella and Sophie were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #10 and #63.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Isabella #4 in 2008, Sophie #1 in 2008.
List by list
Norway · Girls50 shared years, 1960–2025
Isabella held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Sophie in 18.
Highest recorded here: Isabella #42 in 2010, Sophie #106 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Isabella #122, Sophie #178.
Republic of Ireland · Girls44 shared years, 1972–2025
Isabella held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Sophie in 40.
Highest recorded here: Isabella #41 in 2014, Sophie #1 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Isabella #48, Sophie #6.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls33 shared years, 1993–2025
Isabella held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Sophie in 7.
Highest recorded here: Isabella #1 in 2007, Sophie #5 in 2004.
The order changed in 2013: Isabella moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #9 and #8; by 2013 that had become #7 and #9.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Isabella #17, Sophie #22.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Isabella held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Sophie in 17.
Highest recorded here: Isabella #6 in 2016, Sophie #1 in 1996.
The order changed in 2013: Isabella moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #10 and #9; by 2013 that had become #8 and #9.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Isabella #10, Sophie #63.
New Zealand · Girls29 shared years, 1995–2023
Isabella held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Sophie in 27.
Highest recorded here: Isabella #4 in 2008, Sophie #1 in 2008.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Isabella #15, Sophie #14.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1999–2024
Isabella held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophie in 26.
Highest recorded here: Isabella #27 in 2019, Sophie #1 in 2010.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Isabella #44, Sophie #14.
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 | Isabella | Sophie |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | My God is an oath (via Elizabeth). | The French form of Sophia, from Ancient Greek 'sophia' meaning 'wisdom'. |
| Origin | Spanish/Italian, via Elizabeth | Greek, via French transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˌɪzəˈbɛlə/ | /sɔ.fi/ |
| Syllables | 4 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Bella, Izzy, Isabel, Isobel | 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, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #10 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #6 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Isabella is recorded with a Spanish/Italian, via Elizabeth origin, while Sophie is recorded with a Greek, via French transmission origin.
- Isabella has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Sophie.
- Isabella's recorded meaning differs from Sophie'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 Isabella a "high" Data Confidence level and Sophie a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Isabella
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1993–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2007 (recorded 1993–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #10 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Sophie
Popularity journey
First recorded1960
First recorded at #492 among girls in Norway in 1960 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 1996 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #63 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls