Angela vs Holly
Angela 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 1998, Angela was ranked #88 and Holly #18 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2003, Angela was ranked #79 and Holly #19 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Angela was ranked #608 and Holly #69 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Angela was ranked #391 and Holly #88 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Angela was ranked #1229 and Holly #169 among girls in England and Wales.
Angela and Holly over time
Angela and Holly appear together in 5 published lists, across 122 years of shared records. Holly held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Angela in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Angela 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 took the other's place near the top
In New Zealand · Girls, Holly moved into the top 50 at #36 in 1988 as Angela fell out of it to #66, having been #39 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1994, Holly moved ahead of Angela in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #62 and #80 the year before became #68 and #52.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Angela and Holly averaged 32.4 places apart, ending at #79 and #19.
- Longest-running competitions
Angela and Holly were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1229 and #169.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Angela #248 in 2000, Holly #25 in 2002.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls46 shared years, 1976–2025
Angela held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Holly in 35.
Highest recorded here: Angela #55 in 1976, Holly #11 in 2010.
The order changed in 1992: Holly moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #133 and #176; by 1992 that had become #141 and #135.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Angela #608, Holly #69.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Angela held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Holly in 30.
Highest recorded here: Angela #382 in 1996, Holly #12 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Angela #1229, Holly #169.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls21 shared years, 1983–2003
Angela held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Holly in 10.
Highest recorded here: Angela #20 in 1983, Holly #19 in 2003.
The order changed in 1994: Holly moved ahead. In 1993 they stood at #62 and #80; by 1994 that had become #68 and #52.
Most recent shared year, 2003: Angela #79, Holly #19.
Northern Ireland · Girls14 shared years, 1997–2023
Angela held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Holly in 14.
Highest recorded here: Angela #248 in 2000, Holly #25 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Angela #391, Holly #88.
New Zealand · Girls11 shared years, 1983–1998
Angela held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Holly in 6.
Highest recorded here: Angela #13 in 1983, Holly #18 in 1998.
The order changed in 1988: Holly moved ahead. In 1987 they stood at #39 and #41; by 1988 that had become #66 and #36.
Most recent shared year, 1998: Angela #88, Holly #18.
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 | Angela | Holly |
|---|---|---|
| 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, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #69 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Angela has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Holly.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Angela
Popularity journey
First recorded1947
First recorded at #362 among girls in Norway in 1947 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1954–1998
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in New Zealand, in 1975 (recorded 1954–1998).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #1229 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Holly
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1976–2025
Highest recorded position: #11 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2010 (recorded 1976–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #169 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls