Namewise

Abigail vs Holly

Abigail and Hollycompared 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 2015, Abigail was ranked #33 and Holly #98 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2020, Abigail was ranked #58 and Holly #78 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Abigail was ranked #115 and Holly #69 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Abigail was ranked #102 and Holly #79 among girls in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Abigail was ranked #80 and Holly #105 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Abigail was ranked #171 and Holly #169 among girls in England and Wales.

Abigail and Holly over time

Abigail and Holly appear together in 5 published lists, across 145 years of shared records. Holly held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Abigail in 0.

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.

Holly reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Abigail 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 2009, Abigail moved ahead of Holly in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #34 and #27 the year before became #29 and #30.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Abigail and Holly changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2025, ending at #171 and #169.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Abigail and Holly averaged 8.1 places apart, ending at #171 and #169.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Abigail and Holly were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #171 and #169.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Abigail #19 in 2000, Holly #12 in 2002.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls45 shared years, 1976–2025

    Abigail held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Holly in 42.

    Highest recorded here: Abigail #36 in 2008, Holly #11 in 2010.

    The order changed in 1983: Holly moved ahead. In 1982 they stood at #386 and #533; by 1983 that had become #476 and #365.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Abigail #115, Holly #69.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Abigail held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Holly in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Abigail #19 in 2000, Holly #12 in 2002.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Abigail #171, Holly #169.

  • New Zealand · Girls28 shared years, 1991–2020

    Abigail held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Holly in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Abigail #30 in 2010, Holly #16 in 1994.

    The order changed in 2013: Abigail moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #32 and #29; by 2013 that had become #42 and #48.

    Most recent shared year, 2020: Abigail #58, Holly #78.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Abigail held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Holly in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Abigail #29 in 2005, Holly #22 in 2003.

    The order changed in 2024: Abigail moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #115 and #88; by 2024 that had become #80 and #105.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Abigail #80, Holly #105.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls14 shared years, 2002–2015

    Abigail held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Holly in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Abigail #24 in 2010, Holly #19 in 2003.

    The order changed in 2009: Abigail moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #34 and #27; by 2009 that had become #29 and #30.

    Most recent shared year, 2015: Abigail #33, Holly #98.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Abigail

Pairs where Abigail shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Holly

Pairs where Holly shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

Pairs measured inside England and Wales's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

England and Wales overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Abigail, Holly
FieldAbigailHolly
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recorded
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNew South Wales, Australia · Girls #55 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #69 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Abigail has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Holly.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Abigail

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in England and Wales, in 2000 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #171 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Holly

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1976

    First recorded at #392 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1976 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1976–2025

    Highest recorded position: #11 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2010 (recorded 1976–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #169 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls