Daisy vs Lily
Daisy and Lilycompared 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, Daisy was ranked #43 and Lily #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Daisy was ranked #18 and Lily #3 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Daisy was ranked #27 and Lily #4 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Daisy was ranked #33 and Lily #6 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Daisy was ranked #26 and Lily #7 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Daisy was ranked #25 and Lily #9 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Daisy and Lily over time
Daisy and Lily appear together in 5 published lists, across 111 years of shared records. Lily held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Daisy in 0.
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.
Lily reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Daisy in 2. 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 1998, Lily moved ahead of Daisy in England and Wales · Girls — #68 and #75 the year before became #65 and #61.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Daisy and Lily averaged 12.8 places apart, ending at #18 and #3.
- Longest-running competitions
Daisy and Lily were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 34 years, from 1991 to 2025, ending at #43 and #1.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Daisy #15 in 2010, Lily #3 in 2011.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls34 shared years, 1991–2025
Daisy held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Lily in 31.
Highest recorded here: Daisy #42 in 2024, Lily #1 in 2025.
The order changed in 1997: Lily moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #333 and #534; by 1997 that had become #496 and #254.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Daisy #43, Lily #1.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Daisy held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Lily in 27.
Highest recorded here: Daisy #15 in 2010, Lily #3 in 2011.
The order changed in 1998: Lily moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #68 and #75; by 1998 that had become #65 and #61.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Daisy #18, Lily #3.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1999–2024
Daisy held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Lily in 23.
Highest recorded here: Daisy #33 in 2024, Lily #5 in 2011.
The order changed in 2006: Lily moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #109 and #114; by 2006 that had become #155 and #52.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Daisy #33, Lily #6.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls12 shared years, 2013–2025
Daisy held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lily in 12.
Highest recorded here: Daisy #25 in 2025, Lily #7 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Daisy #25, Lily #9.
New Zealand · Girls10 shared years, 2009–2023
Daisy held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lily in 10.
Highest recorded here: Daisy #26 in 2023, Lily #5 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Daisy #26, Lily #7.
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 | Daisy | Lily |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Taken from the English word for the flower, whose own name poetically describes how its petals open at dawn and close at dusk. | From the English word for the lily flower. |
| Origin | English, from Old English dægeseage ('day's eye') | English (flower name) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdeɪzi/ | /ˈlɪli/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Lil, Lilah, Lillie, Lilly, Lilian |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #25 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #1 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Daisy is recorded with a English, from Old English dægeseage ('day's eye') origin, while Lily is recorded with a English (flower name) origin.
- Daisy and Lily both have 2 syllables.
- Daisy's recorded meaning differs from Lily'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 Daisy a "medium" Data Confidence level and Lily a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Daisy
Popularity journey
First recorded1979
First recorded at #523 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1979 — 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 2010 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #25 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Lily
Popularity journey
First recorded1981
First recorded at #471 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1981 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1981–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025 (recorded 1981–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #9 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls