Eva vs Lily
Eva 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, Eva was ranked #69 and Lily #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Eva was ranked #54 and Lily #3 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Eva was ranked #62 and Lily #4 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Eva was ranked #42 and Lily #6 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Eva was ranked #60 and Lily #7 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Eva was ranked #80 and Lily #9 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Eva was ranked #22 and Lily #123 among girls in Norway.
Eva and Lily over time
Eva and Lily appear together in 6 published lists, across 160 years of shared records. Lily held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Eva in 2.
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.
Eva reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Lily 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 2016, Lily moved ahead of Eva in Northern Ireland · Girls — #13 and #15 the year before became #15 and #6.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Eva and Lily averaged 26.5 places apart, ending at #80 and #9.
- Longest-running competitions
Eva and Lily were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 36 years, from 1981 to 2025, ending at #69 and #1.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Eva #24 in 2012, Lily #3 in 2011.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls36 shared years, 1981–2025
Eva held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Lily in 20.
Highest recorded here: Eva #37 in 2016, Lily #1 in 2025.
The order changed in 2006: Lily moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #49 and #52; by 2006 that had become #44 and #42.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Eva #69, Lily #1.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Eva held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lily in 29.
Highest recorded here: Eva #24 in 2012, Lily #3 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Eva #54, Lily #3.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1999–2024
Eva held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Lily in 10.
Highest recorded here: Eva #8 in 2009, Lily #5 in 2011.
The order changed in 2016: Lily moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #13 and #15; by 2016 that had become #15 and #6.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Eva #42, Lily #6.
Norway · Girls26 shared years, 1994–2025
Eva held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Lily in 0.
Highest recorded here: Eva #16 in 2020, Lily #90 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Eva #22, Lily #123.
New Zealand · Girls22 shared years, 2002–2023
Eva held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lily in 22.
Highest recorded here: Eva #19 in 2012, Lily #5 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Eva #60, Lily #7.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls21 shared years, 2005–2025
Eva held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lily in 21.
Highest recorded here: Eva #21 in 2011, Lily #7 in 2010.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Eva #80, Lily #9.
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 | Eva | Lily |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A form of Eve used across many languages, from the Hebrew root 'hawa'. | From the English word for the lily flower. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | English (flower name) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeh.vah/ | /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 | Norway · Girls #22 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #1 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Eva is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Lily is recorded with a English (flower name) origin.
- Eva and Lily both have 2 syllables.
- Eva'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 Eva 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
Eva
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #8 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #6 among girls in Norway, in 1952 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #80 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