Abigail vs Carly
Abigail and Carlycompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2022, Abigail was ranked #73 and Carly #354 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Abigail was ranked #79 and Carly #372 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Abigail was ranked #102 and Carly #541 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Abigail was ranked #154 and Carly #3015 among girls in England and Wales.
Abigail and Carly over time
Abigail and Carly appear together in 3 published lists, across 96 years of shared records. Abigail held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Carly in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Abigail reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Carly 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Abigail and Carly changed places 6 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1979 and 2024, ending at #79 and #372.
- Longest-running competitions
Abigail and Carly were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 43 years, from 1979 to 2024, ending at #79 and #372.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls43 shared years, 1979–2024
Abigail held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Carly in 6.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #36 in 2008, Carly #170 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Abigail #79, Carly #372.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Abigail held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Carly in 0.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #19 in 2000, Carly #187 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Abigail #154, Carly #3015.
Northern Ireland · Girls24 shared years, 1997–2022
Abigail held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Carly in 0.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #29 in 2005, Carly #119 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Abigail #73, Carly #354.
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 | Abigail | Carly |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 3 | 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 |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #55 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #372 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Abigail has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Carly.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Abigail
Popularity journey
First recorded1969
First recorded at #303 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1969 — 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: #19 among girls in England and Wales, in 2000 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #55 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Carly
Popularity journey
First recorded1979
First recorded at #90 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1979 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1979–1989
Highest recorded position: #52 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1983 (recorded 1979–1989).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #3015 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls