Charlotte vs Willow
Charlotte and Willowcompared 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 2025, Charlotte was ranked #1 and Willow #23 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Charlotte was ranked #1 and Willow #6 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Charlotte was ranked #6 and Willow #44 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Charlotte was ranked #10 and Willow #29 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Charlotte was ranked #25 and Willow #20 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Charlotte was ranked #43 and Willow #58 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Charlotte and Willow over time
Charlotte and Willow appear together in 5 published lists, across 102 years of shared records. Charlotte held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Willow in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Charlotte reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Willow in 1. 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 2020, Willow moved ahead of Charlotte in England and Wales · Girls — #18 and #19 the year before became #20 and #12.
- Longest-running competitions
Charlotte and Willow were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #25 and #20.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Charlotte held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Willow in 6.
Highest recorded here: Charlotte #5 in 2000, Willow #9 in 2023.
The order changed in 2020: Willow moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #18 and #19; by 2020 that had become #20 and #12.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charlotte #25, Willow #20.
Republic of Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 2003–2025
Charlotte held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Willow in 6.
Highest recorded here: Charlotte #39 in 2018, Willow #29 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charlotte #43, Willow #58.
Northern Ireland · Girls18 shared years, 2007–2024
Charlotte held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Willow in 0.
Highest recorded here: Charlotte #6 in 2024, Willow #24 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Charlotte #6, Willow #44.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls17 shared years, 2009–2025
Charlotte held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Willow in 0.
Highest recorded here: Charlotte #1 in 2012, Willow #10 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charlotte #1, Willow #23.
New Zealand · Girls14 shared years, 2010–2023
Charlotte held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Willow in 0.
Highest recorded here: Charlotte #1 in 2013, Willow #5 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Charlotte #1, Willow #6.
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 | Charlotte | Willow |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Free man (feminine form of Charles). | From the name of the willow tree, ultimately from Old English 'welig' — an English nature/word name. |
| Origin | French, feminine of Charles | English, a modern nature name from the willow tree |
| Pronunciation | /ˈʃɑɹlət/ | /ˈwɪl.oʊ/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Lottie, Charlie, Carlotta | 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #1 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #20 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 65/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 70/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Charlotte is recorded with a French, feminine of Charles origin, while Willow is recorded with a English, a modern nature name from the willow tree origin.
- Charlotte has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Willow.
- Charlotte's recorded meaning differs from Willow's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Charlotte a "high" Data Confidence level and Willow a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Charlotte
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #345 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1989–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2012 (recorded 1989–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #25 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Willow
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #891 among girls in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Highest recorded2010–2023
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in New Zealand, in 2020 (recorded 2010–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #20 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls