Namewise

Maria vs Nicola

Maria and Nicolacompared 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 2024, Maria was ranked #73 and Nicola #898 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2020, Maria was ranked #84 and Nicola #397 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Maria was ranked #88 and Nicola #4201 among girls in England and Wales.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1995, Maria was ranked #99 and Nicola #91 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Maria was ranked #120 and Nicola #790 among girls in Scotland.

Maria and Nicola over time

Maria and Nicola appear together in 4 published lists, across 149 years of shared records. Maria held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Nicola in 1.

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.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 2 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.

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 1998, Maria moved ahead of Nicola in England and Wales · Girls — #121 and #101 the year before became #114 and #118.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Maria and Nicola changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2024, ending at #73 and #898.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 39 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Maria and Nicola averaged 35.4 places apart, ending at #99 and #91.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Maria and Nicola were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #88 and #4201.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1996 they stood at #96 and #87 in England and Wales · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2025 they were #88 and #4201.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls59 shared years, 1964–2024

    Maria held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Nicola in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Maria #23 in 1967, Nicola #17 in 1986.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Maria #73, Nicola #898.

  • New Zealand · Girls39 shared years, 1957–1995

    Maria held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Nicola in 38.

    Highest recorded here: Maria #21 in 1967, Nicola #2 in 1975.

    The order changed in 1958: Nicola moved ahead. In 1957 they stood at #55 and #97; by 1958 that had become #70 and #68.

    Most recent shared year, 1995: Maria #99, Nicola #91.

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

    Maria held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Nicola in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Maria #66 in 2018, Nicola #87 in 1996.

    The order changed in 1998: Maria moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #121 and #101; by 1998 that had become #114 and #118.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Maria #88, Nicola #4201.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 1997–2020

    Maria held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Nicola in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Maria #49 in 2009, Nicola #72 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2020: Maria #84, Nicola #397.

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 Maria

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

Other comparisons involving Nicola

Pairs where Nicola 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 — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

Pairs measured inside England and Wales's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

England and Wales overview→

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 Maria, Nicola
FieldMariaNicola
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningThe Latin form of Greek Maria, from Hebrew Miryam (see Mary).The feminine form of Nicholas, from the Greek elements 'nike' (victory) and 'laos' (people).
OriginBiblical Hebrew, via Latin transmissionGreek, feminine form
Pronunciation/mɑ.ˈriː.ɑ//ˈnɪk.ə.lə/
Syllables23
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #62 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #4201 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Maria is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission origin, while Nicola is recorded with a Greek, feminine form origin.
  • Maria has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Nicola.
  • Maria's recorded meaning differs from Nicola's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Maria

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #126 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: #3 among girls in Norway, in 1982 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #88 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Nicola

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1957

    First recorded at #97 among girls in New Zealand in 1957 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New Zealand · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1957–1996

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New Zealand, in 1975 (recorded 1957–1996).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #4201 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls