Emily vs Holly
Emily 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.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Emily was ranked #5 and Holly #105 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Emily was ranked #6 and Holly #69 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2015, Emily was ranked #7 and Holly #98 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Emily was ranked #7 and Holly #79 among girls in Scotland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2020, Emily was ranked #15 and Holly #78 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Emily was ranked #44 and Holly #169 among girls in England and Wales.
Emily and Holly over time
Emily and Holly appear together in 5 published lists, across 174 years of shared records. Emily held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Holly in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Holly reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Emily 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Emily and Holly changed places 6 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1983 and 2020, ending at #15 and #78.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Emily and Holly averaged 39.3 places apart, ending at #44 and #169.
- Mirrored each other
Over 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Emily rose about as far as Holly fell — from #32 and #46 in 1997 to #5 and #105 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
Emily and Holly were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #44 and #169.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Emily #1 in 2003, Holly #12 in 2002.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls46 shared years, 1976–2025
Emily held the stronger position in 46 of those years, Holly in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2011, Holly #11 in 2010.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #6, Holly #69.
New Zealand · Girls37 shared years, 1983–2020
Emily held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Holly in 5.
Highest recorded here: Emily #2 in 2013, Holly #16 in 1994.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Emily #15, Holly #78.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls33 shared years, 1983–2015
Emily held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Holly in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 1998, Holly #19 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Emily #7, Holly #98.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Emily held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Holly in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2003, Holly #12 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #44, Holly #169.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Emily held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Holly in 1.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2013, Holly #22 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emily #5, Holly #105.
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 | Emily | Holly |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Rival, striving, eager (traditional interpretation of the Latin root). | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛməli/ | |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Em, Emmy, Emilie, Amelia, Aemilia | 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 | Republic of Ireland · Girls #6 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #69 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Emily has a recorded origin (Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia); Holly does not have one recorded yet.
- Emily has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Holly.
- A meaning is recorded for Emily; Holly doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Emily a "high" Data Confidence level and Holly a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Emily
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #180 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — 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: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2003 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #44 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