Namewise

Amy vs Holly

Amy 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 Zealand · Girls

    In 2012, Amy was ranked #82 and Holly #29 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2012, Amy was ranked #90 and Holly #52 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Amy was ranked #138 and Holly #69 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Amy was ranked #275 and Holly #79 among girls in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Amy was ranked #253 and Holly #105 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Amy was ranked #363 and Holly #137 among girls in England and Wales.

Amy and Holly over time

Amy and Holly appear together in 5 published lists, across 162 years of shared records. Amy held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Holly 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.

Amy reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Holly 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.

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 2006, Holly moved ahead of Amy in England and Wales · Girls — #17 and #19 the year before became #19 and #18.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 29 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Amy and Holly averaged 38.8 places apart, ending at #90 and #52.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Amy and Holly were both ranked in New Zealand · Girls for 30 years, from 1983 to 2012, ending at #82 and #29.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls46 shared years, 19762025

    Amy held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Holly in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Amy #4 in 2004, Holly #11 in 2010.

    The order changed in 2010: Holly moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #11 and #21; by 2010 that had become #14 and #11.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Amy #138, Holly #69.

  • New Zealand · Girls30 shared years, 19832012

    Amy held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Holly in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Amy #4 in 1984, Holly #16 in 1994.

    The order changed in 2002: Holly moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #18 and #22; by 2002 that had become #24 and #17.

    Most recent shared year, 2012: Amy #82, Holly #29.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 19962024

    Amy held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Holly in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Amy #9 in 1996, Holly #12 in 2002.

    The order changed in 2006: Holly moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #17 and #19; by 2006 that had become #19 and #18.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Amy #363, Holly #137.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls29 shared years, 19832012

    Amy held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Holly in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Amy #7 in 1983, Holly #19 in 2003.

    The order changed in 2003: Holly moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #18 and #22; by 2003 that had become #27 and #19.

    Most recent shared year, 2012: Amy #90, Holly #52.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 19972024

    Amy held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Holly in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Amy #4 in 1998, Holly #22 in 2003.

    The order changed in 2010: Holly moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #16 and #26; by 2010 that had become #26 and #25.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Amy #253, Holly #105.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Amy, Holly
FieldAmyHolly
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Pronunciation
Syllables22
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 observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #138 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #69 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Amy and Holly both have 2 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Amy

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1965

    First recorded at #262 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1975–2012

    Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in New Zealand, in 1984 (recorded 1975–2012).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #457 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · 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 #69 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls