Olivia vs Samantha
Olivia and Samanthacompared 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.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Olivia was ranked #1 and Samantha #778 among girls in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2015, Olivia was ranked #1 and Samantha #85 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Olivia was ranked #1 and Samantha #541 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2013, Olivia was ranked #2 and Samantha #84 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Olivia was ranked #2 and Samantha #525 among girls in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2021, Olivia was ranked #4 and Samantha #446 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Olivia was ranked #8 and Samantha #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Olivia and Samantha over time
Olivia and Samantha appear together in 7 published lists, across 294 years of shared records. Olivia held the stronger position in more years in 7 of them, Samantha in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Samantha reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Olivia 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 1998, Olivia moved ahead of Samantha in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #19 and #7 the year before became #7 and #8.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Olivia and Samantha changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1978 and 2015, ending at #1 and #85.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Olivia and Samantha averaged 39.1 places apart, ending at #2 and #84.
- Longest-running competitions
Olivia and Samantha were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 78 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1 and #778.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Scotland · Girls within 2 years — Olivia #1 in 2024, Samantha #541 in 2024.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #24 and #32 in England and Wales · Girls, 8 places apart; by 2025 they were #1 and #778.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls78 shared years, 1996–2025
Olivia held the stronger position in 78 of those years, Samantha in 0.
Highest recorded here: Olivia #1 in 2008, Samantha #32 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Olivia #1, Samantha #778.
Republic of Ireland · Girls60 shared years, 1966–2025
Olivia held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Samantha in 20.
Highest recorded here: Olivia #4 in 1975, Samantha #33 in 1986.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Olivia #8, Samantha #885.
New Zealand · Girls37 shared years, 1978–2015
Olivia held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Samantha in 14.
Highest recorded here: Olivia #1 in 2012, Samantha #3 in 1989.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Olivia #1, Samantha #85.
Norway · Girls37 shared years, 1978–2025
Olivia held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Samantha in 3.
Highest recorded here: Olivia #2 in 2023, Samantha #298 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Olivia #2, Samantha #525.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls30 shared years, 1978–2013
Olivia held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Samantha in 14.
Highest recorded here: Olivia #2 in 2004, Samantha #3 in 1992.
The order changed in 1998: Olivia moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #19 and #7; by 1998 that had become #7 and #8.
Most recent shared year, 2013: Olivia #2, Samantha #84.
Scotland · Girls29 shared years, 2024–2024
Olivia held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Samantha in 0.
Highest recorded here: Olivia #1 in 2024, Samantha #541 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Olivia #1, Samantha #541.
Northern Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 1997–2021
Olivia held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Samantha in 0.
Highest recorded here: Olivia #3 in 2016, Samantha #57 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Olivia #4, Samantha #446.
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 | Olivia | Samantha |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'olive tree' or 'symbol of peace'. | Likely a feminine adaptation of Samuel, incorporating a suffix possibly derived from Greek 'anthos' ('flower'). Emerged in 18th-century America; boosted to wide popularity by the 1964 television series Bewitched. |
| Origin | Latin | Hebrew, feminine adaptation (uncertain suffix origin) |
| Pronunciation | /əˈlɪviə/ | /sə.ˈmæn.θə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Olivea, Liv, Livvy, Oliwia | 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 #1 (2025) | Norway · Girls #525 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Olivia is recorded with a Latin origin, while Samantha is recorded with a Hebrew, feminine adaptation (uncertain suffix origin) origin.
- Olivia and Samantha both have 3 syllables.
- Olivia's recorded meaning differs from Samantha'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 Olivia a "high" Data Confidence level and Samantha a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Olivia
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #488 among girls in Norway in 1964 — 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 2008 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Samantha
Popularity journey
First recorded1966
First recorded at #79 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1966–2013
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1992 (recorded 1966–2013).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #778 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls