Abigail vs Molly
Abigail and Mollycompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Abigail was ranked #115 and Molly #20 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Abigail was ranked #80 and Molly #28 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2021, Abigail was ranked #49 and Molly #100 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Abigail was ranked #57 and Molly #69 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Abigail was ranked #102 and Molly #68 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Abigail was ranked #154 and Molly #104 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Abigail was ranked #273 and Molly #217 among girls in Norway.
Abigail and Molly over time
Abigail and Molly appear together in 6 published lists, across 154 years of shared records. Molly held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Abigail in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 5 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 3 of the lists they share.
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 took the other's place near the top
In New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Abigail moved into the top 50 at #43 in 2007 as Molly fell out of it to #55, having been #42 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2012, Molly moved ahead of Abigail in England and Wales · Girls — #38 and #46 the year before became #44 and #39.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Abigail and Molly changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #154 and #104.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Abigail and Molly averaged 12.4 places apart, ending at #154 and #104.
- Longest-running competitions
Abigail and Molly were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 36 years, from 1989 to 2025, ending at #115 and #20.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Abigail #19 in 2000, Molly #15 in 2001.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls36 shared years, 1989–2025
Abigail held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Molly in 35.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #36 in 2008, Molly #18 in 2019.
The order changed in 1991: Molly moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #285 and #408; by 1991 that had become #300 and #273.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Abigail #115, Molly #20.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Abigail held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Molly in 17.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #19 in 2000, Molly #15 in 2001.
The order changed in 2012: Molly moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #38 and #46; by 2012 that had become #44 and #39.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Abigail #154, Molly #104.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Abigail held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Molly in 27.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #29 in 2005, Molly #18 in 2007.
The order changed in 1998: Molly moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #72 and #89; by 1998 that had become #81 and #47.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Abigail #80, Molly #28.
New Zealand · Girls24 shared years, 1997–2023
Abigail held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Molly in 8.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #30 in 2010, Molly #31 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Abigail #57, Molly #69.
Norway · Girls20 shared years, 2003–2025
Abigail held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Molly in 17.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #246 in 2022, Molly #167 in 2011.
The order changed in 2020: Molly moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #270 and #290; by 2020 that had become #317 and #254.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Abigail #273, Molly #217.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls17 shared years, 2002–2021
Abigail held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Molly in 5.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #24 in 2010, Molly #32 in 2005.
The order changed in 2007: Abigail moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #62 and #42; by 2007 that had become #43 and #55.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Abigail #49, Molly #100.
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 | Molly |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| 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, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #55 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #20 (2025) |
| 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 Molly.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
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
Molly
Popularity journey
First recorded1989
First recorded at #408 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1989 — 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: #15 among girls in England and Wales, in 2001 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #217 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls