Compare Names
Search for up to 4 names to compare side by side, or browse a curated comparison below.
- Ava
- Hazel
| Field | Ava | Hazel |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Meaning debated — no single origin is established with confidence. | From the English word for the hazel tree, or the light brown colour associated with it, ultimately from Old English 'hæsel'. Created as a given name in the 19th century. |
| Origin | Disputed — possibly Germanic, possibly a short form of Eve | English (nature name) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeɪvə/ | /ˈheɪ.zəl/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | New South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New Zealand | New South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, New Zealand |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #11 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #8 (2025) |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ava is recorded with a Disputed — possibly Germanic, possibly a short form of Eve origin, while Hazel is recorded with a English (nature name) origin.
- Ava and Hazel both have 2 syllables.
- Ava's recorded meaning differs from Hazel's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
Name rivalries — pairs whose positions genuinely passed each other →
Curated comparisons
Two of the UK's most enduringly popular girls' names, both with a soft, flowing sound and a similar era of peak popularity — the choice usually comes down to origin story and nickname preference.
Both are currently the most-used boys' names in several English-speaking countries. Oliver leans slightly more classic/literary; Noah is shorter and more globally portable.
Both short, currently-fashionable UK names — Freya carries Norse mythological weight, while Isla is a Scottish place name that reads as slightly softer and more understated.
Both carry regal, 'strength'-adjacent meanings and centuries of royal usage — Alexander is the more internationally familiar choice, Magnus the more distinctive.