Mia vs Ruby
Mia and Rubycompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Mia was ranked #5 and Ruby #28 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Mia was ranked #11 and Ruby #36 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Mia was ranked #13 and Ruby #17 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Mia was ranked #14 and Ruby #41 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Mia was ranked #20 and Ruby #38 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Mia was ranked #21 and Ruby #450 among girls in Norway.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Mia was ranked #26 and Ruby #34 among girls in Scotland.
Mia and Ruby over time
Mia and Ruby appear together in 5 published lists, across 141 years of shared records. Mia held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Ruby 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.
Ruby reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Mia 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2012, Mia moved ahead of Ruby in England and Wales · Girls — #13 and #7 the year before became #7 and #12.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Mia and Ruby changed places 10 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1998 and 2024, ending at #20 and #38.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Mia and Ruby averaged 19.0 places apart, ending at #14 and #41.
- Longest-running competitions
Mia and Ruby were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 33 years, from 1992 to 2025, ending at #11 and #36.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Mia #6 in 2012, Ruby #16 in 2013.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls33 shared years, 1992–2025
Mia held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Ruby in 3.
Highest recorded here: Mia #6 in 2012, Ruby #16 in 2013.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Mia #11, Ruby #36.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Mia held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Ruby in 8.
Highest recorded here: Mia #5 in 2019, Ruby #1 in 2007.
The order changed in 2012: Mia moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #13 and #7; by 2012 that had become #7 and #12.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Mia #14, Ruby #41.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls29 shared years, 1997–2025
Mia held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Ruby in 8.
Highest recorded here: Mia #2 in 2008, Ruby #2 in 2011.
The order changed in 2013: Mia moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #6 and #2; by 2013 that had become #5 and #10.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Mia #5, Ruby #28.
Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1998–2024
Mia held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Ruby in 5.
Highest recorded here: Mia #14 in 2015, Ruby #18 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Mia #20, Ruby #38.
New Zealand · Girls23 shared years, 2001–2023
Mia held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Ruby in 15.
Highest recorded here: Mia #7 in 2017, Ruby #1 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Mia #13, Ruby #17.
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 | Mia | Ruby |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Directly a diminutive of Maria. | Taken from the gemstone name; the ruby is the traditional July birthstone. As a given name it came into use in the 16th century. |
| Origin | Scandinavian/Italian, via Maria | English, ultimately from Latin rubeus ('red') |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmiːə/ | /ˈruːbi/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| 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 | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #5 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #28 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Mia is recorded with a Scandinavian/Italian, via Maria origin, while Ruby is recorded with a English, ultimately from Latin rubeus ('red') origin.
- Mia has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Ruby.
- Mia's recorded meaning differs from Ruby'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
Mia
Popularity journey
First recorded1947
First recorded at #357 among girls in Norway in 1947 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2008 (recorded 1997–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #5 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Ruby
Popularity journey
First recorded1991
First recorded at #515 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1991 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2007 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #28 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls