Nina vs Thea
Nina 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.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Nina was ranked #195 and Thea #50 among girls in Norway.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2022, Nina was ranked #77 and Thea #62 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Nina was ranked #63 and Thea #75 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Nina was ranked #97 and Thea #65 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Nina was ranked #160 and Thea #66 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Nina was ranked #112 and Thea #207 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Nina and Thea over time
Nina and Thea appear together in 5 published lists, across 149 years of shared records. Thea held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Nina in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Nina reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Thea 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 2013, Thea moved ahead of Nina in England and Wales · Girls — #176 and #225 the year before became #189 and #121.
- Mirrored each other
Over 63 shared years in Norway · Girls, Thea rose about as far as Nina fell — from #103 and #380 in 1950 to #195 and #50 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Nina and Thea were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 63 years, from 1950 to 2025, ending at #195 and #50.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Nina #137 in 2021, Thea #46 in 2019.
List by list
Norway · Girls63 shared years, 1950–2025
Nina held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Thea in 34.
Highest recorded here: Nina #3 in 1966, Thea #1 in 2006.
The order changed in 1992: Thea moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #35 and #39; by 1992 that had become #39 and #30.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Nina #195, Thea #50.
Republic of Ireland · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Nina held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Thea in 3.
Highest recorded here: Nina #83 in 2020, Thea #136 in 2021.
The order changed in 1999: Nina moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #380 and #345; by 1999 that had become #392 and #439.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Nina #112, Thea #207.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Nina held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Thea in 15.
Highest recorded here: Nina #137 in 2021, Thea #46 in 2019.
The order changed in 2013: Thea moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #176 and #225; by 2013 that had become #189 and #121.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Nina #160, Thea #66.
Northern Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 2004–2024
Nina held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Thea in 10.
Highest recorded here: Nina #63 in 2024, Thea #40 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Nina #63, Thea #75.
New Zealand · Girls8 shared years, 2014–2022
Nina held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Thea in 7.
Highest recorded here: Nina #63 in 2014, Thea #31 in 2019.
The order changed in 2015: Thea moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #63 and #79; by 2015 that had become #78 and #65.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Nina #77, Thea #62.
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 | Nina | Thea |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A short form of names ending in '-nina', such as Antonina or Giannina; imported to Western Europe from Russia and Italy in the 19th century. | A short form of Dorothea, Theodora, Theresa and other similar-sounding Greek-rooted names. |
| Origin | Various (Russian/Italian short-form tradition) | Greek (via Germanic/Scandinavian transmission) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈnʲi.nə/ | /ˈteː.a/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #112 (2025) | Norway · Girls #50 (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
- Nina is recorded with a Various (Russian/Italian short-form tradition) origin, while Thea is recorded with a Greek (via Germanic/Scandinavian transmission) origin.
- Nina has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Thea.
- Nina's recorded meaning differs from Thea's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Nina
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #132 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 1964 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #195 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