Alba vs Molly
Alba 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, Alba was ranked #213 and Molly #20 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Alba was ranked #227 and Molly #28 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Alba was ranked #66 and Molly #68 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Alba was ranked #119 and Molly #104 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Alba was ranked #105 and Molly #217 among girls in Norway.
Alba and Molly over time
Alba and Molly appear together in 4 published lists, across 78 years of shared records. Molly held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Alba in 1.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Molly reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Alba in none. 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alba held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Molly in 29.
Highest recorded here: Alba #119 in 2024, Molly #15 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alba #119, Molly #104.
Norway · Girls21 shared years, 2003–2025
Alba held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Molly in 10.
Highest recorded here: Alba #105 in 2025, Molly #167 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alba #105, Molly #217.
Republic of Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 2005–2025
Alba held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Molly in 19.
Highest recorded here: Alba #213 in 2025, Molly #18 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alba #213, Molly #20.
Northern Ireland · Girls9 shared years, 2014–2024
Alba held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Molly in 9.
Highest recorded here: Alba #227 in 2024, Molly #20 in 2014.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alba #227, Molly #28.
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 | Alba | 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 | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #105 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #20 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Alba and Molly both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Alba
Popularity journey
First recorded1990
First recorded at #546 among girls in Norway in 1990 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #105 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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