Ellie vs Lily
Ellie 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, Ellie was ranked #15 and Lily #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Ellie was ranked #119 and Lily #2 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ellie was ranked #35 and Lily #4 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ellie was ranked #18 and Lily #6 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Ellie was ranked #40 and Lily #7 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Ellie was ranked #32 and Lily #9 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Ellie was ranked #33 and Lily #123 among girls in Norway.
Ellie and Lily over time
Ellie and Lily appear together in 6 published lists, across 145 years of shared records. Lily held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Ellie in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Ellie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Lily 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 2006, Lily moved ahead of Ellie in England and Wales · Girls — #5 and #16 the year before became #10 and #9.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ellie and Lily changed places 8 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1991 and 2025, ending at #15 and #1.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Ellie and Lily averaged 39.6 places apart, ending at #119 and #2.
- Longest-running competitions
Ellie and Lily were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #119 and #2.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Ellie #31 in 2021, Lily #5 in 2022.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls33 shared years, 1991–2025
Ellie held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Lily in 20.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #6 in 2023, Lily #1 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellie #15, Lily #1.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Ellie held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Lily in 20.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #2 in 2003, Lily #2 in 2025.
The order changed in 2006: Lily moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #5 and #16; by 2006 that had become #10 and #9.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellie #119, Lily #2.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1999–2024
Ellie held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Lily in 13.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #3 in 2005, Lily #5 in 2011.
The order changed in 2020: Lily moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #11 and #13; by 2020 that had become #17 and #15.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ellie #18, Lily #6.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls24 shared years, 2002–2025
Ellie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lily in 24.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #25 in 2023, Lily #7 in 2010.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellie #32, Lily #9.
Norway · Girls19 shared years, 2005–2025
Ellie held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Lily in 7.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #30 in 2021, Lily #90 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellie #33, Lily #123.
New Zealand · Girls13 shared years, 2011–2023
Ellie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lily in 13.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #31 in 2021, Lily #5 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Ellie #40, 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 | Ellie | Lily |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A diminutive of several longer names, particularly Eleanor, Ellen and Elizabeth. | From the English word for the lily flower. |
| Origin | Various, diminutive form | English (flower name) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛl.i/ | /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, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #15 (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
- Ellie is recorded with a Various, diminutive form origin, while Lily is recorded with a English (flower name) origin.
- Ellie and Lily both have 2 syllables.
- Ellie'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, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Ellie 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
Ellie
Popularity journey
First recorded1987
First recorded at #488 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1987 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in England and Wales, in 2003 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #119 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · 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 #2 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls