Maria vs Thea
Maria and Theacompared 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.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2016, Maria was ranked #78 and Thea #49 among girls in New Zealand.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Maria was ranked #62 and Thea #50 among girls in Norway.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Maria was ranked #120 and Thea #65 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Maria was ranked #91 and Thea #66 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Maria was ranked #74 and Thea #207 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Maria was ranked #97 and Thea #75 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Maria and Thea over time
Maria and Thea appear together in 4 published lists, across 142 years of shared records. Maria held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Thea in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Maria reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Thea 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2015, Thea moved ahead of Maria in England and Wales · Girls — #73 and #79 the year before became #73 and #58.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Maria and Thea changed places 5 times in Norway · Girls between 1950 and 2025, ending at #62 and #50.
- Longest-running competitions
Maria and Thea were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 63 years, from 1950 to 2025, ending at #62 and #50.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Maria #66 in 2018, Thea #46 in 2019.
List by list
Norway · Girls63 shared years, 1950–2025
Maria held the stronger position in 38 of those years, Thea in 25.
Highest recorded here: Maria #3 in 1982, Thea #1 in 2006.
The order changed in 2005: Thea moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #5 and #6; by 2005 that had become #7 and #2.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Maria #62, Thea #50.
Republic of Ireland · Girls31 shared years, 1993–2025
Maria held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Thea in 0.
Highest recorded here: Maria #49 in 2008, Thea #136 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Maria #74, Thea #207.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Maria held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Thea in 10.
Highest recorded here: Maria #66 in 2018, Thea #46 in 2019.
The order changed in 2015: Thea moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #73 and #79; by 2015 that had become #73 and #58.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Maria #91, Thea #66.
Northern Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 2004–2024
Maria held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Thea in 9.
Highest recorded here: Maria #49 in 2009, Thea #40 in 2019.
The order changed in 2016: Thea moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #79 and #123; by 2016 that had become #82 and #42.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Maria #97, Thea #75.
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 | Maria | Thea |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The Latin form of Greek Maria, from Hebrew Miryam (see Mary). | A short form of Dorothea, Theodora, Theresa and other similar-sounding Greek-rooted names. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission | Greek (via Germanic/Scandinavian transmission) |
| Pronunciation | /mɑ.ˈriː.ɑ/ | /ˈteː.a/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | 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 | Norway · Girls #62 (2025) | Norway · Girls #50 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Maria is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission origin, while Thea is recorded with a Greek (via Germanic/Scandinavian transmission) origin.
- Maria has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Thea.
- Maria's recorded meaning differs from Thea'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
Maria
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Norway, in 1982 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #62 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls
Thea
Popularity journey
First recorded1950
First recorded at #380 among girls in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1950–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Norway, in 2006 (recorded 1950–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #50 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls