Namewise

Elizabeth vs Hayley

Elizabeth and Hayleycompared 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 2018, Elizabeth was ranked #51 and Hayley #96 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2016, Elizabeth was ranked #71 and Hayley #99 among girls in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Elizabeth was ranked #74 and Hayley #478 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Elizabeth was ranked #76 and Hayley #148 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Elizabeth was ranked #87 and Hayley #227 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Elizabeth was ranked #113 and Hayley #230 among girls in Scotland.

Elizabeth and Hayley over time

Elizabeth and Hayley appear together in 5 published lists, across 189 years of shared records. Elizabeth held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Hayley in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Elizabeth reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Hayley 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.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Elizabeth and Hayley changed places 6 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1979 and 2018, ending at #51 and #96.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 38 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Elizabeth and Hayley averaged 17.1 places apart, ending at #51 and #96.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Elizabeth and Hayley were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #74 and #478.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Elizabeth #26 in 1996, Hayley #57 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls51 shared years, 19682025

    Elizabeth held the stronger position in 51 of those years, Hayley in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #6 in 1968, Hayley #48 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Elizabeth #76, Hayley #148.

  • New Zealand · Girls43 shared years, 19732016

    Elizabeth held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Hayley in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #14 in 1984, Hayley #14 in 1990.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2016: Elizabeth #71, Hayley #99.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls38 shared years, 19792018

    Elizabeth held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Hayley in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #15 in 1986, Hayley #18 in 2003.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2018: Elizabeth #51, Hayley #96.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 19962025

    Elizabeth held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Hayley in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #26 in 1996, Hayley #57 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Elizabeth #74, Hayley #478.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 19972024

    Elizabeth held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Hayley in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #55 in 1997, Hayley #57 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Elizabeth #87, Hayley #227.

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 Elizabeth, Hayley
FieldElizabethHayley
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningFrom the Greek Elisabet, from Hebrew Elisheva, combining 'el' (God) with 'shava' ('oath') — 'my God is an oath'. Appears in the Old Testament as Elisheba, Aaron's wife, and in the New Testament as the mother of John the Baptist.Not yet recorded
OriginBiblical HebrewNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ɪ.ˈlɪz.ə.bəθ/Not yet recorded
Syllables42
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 observationEngland and Wales · Girls #74 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #148 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)65/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)70/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Elizabeth has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Hayley does not have one recorded yet.
  • Elizabeth has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Hayley.
  • A meaning is recorded for Elizabeth; Hayley doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Elizabeth

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #341 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1969 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #74 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Hayley

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1968

    First recorded at #401 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1968 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1973–2016

    Highest recorded position: #14 among girls in New Zealand, in 1990 (recorded 1973–2016).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #478 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls