Evelyn vs Willow
Evelyn and Willowcompared 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 Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Evelyn was ranked #12 and Willow #6 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Evelyn was ranked #12 and Willow #20 among girls in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Evelyn was ranked #13 and Willow #23 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Evelyn was ranked #120 and Willow #29 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Evelyn was ranked #75 and Willow #44 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Evelyn was ranked #94 and Willow #58 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Evelyn and Willow over time
Evelyn and Willow appear together in 5 published lists, across 99 years of shared records. Willow held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Evelyn 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.
Willow reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Evelyn 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2023, Evelyn moved ahead of Willow in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #20 and #10 the year before became #8 and #19.
- Longest-running competitions
Evelyn and Willow were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #12 and #20.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Evelyn #12 in 2025, Willow #9 in 2023.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Evelyn held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Willow in 5.
Highest recorded here: Evelyn #12 in 2025, Willow #9 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Evelyn #12, Willow #20.
Republic of Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 2003–2025
Evelyn held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Willow in 13.
Highest recorded here: Evelyn #76 in 2022, Willow #29 in 2021.
The order changed in 2013: Willow moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #141 and #142; by 2013 that had become #197 and #148.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Evelyn #94, Willow #58.
Northern Ireland · Girls18 shared years, 2007–2024
Evelyn held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Willow in 15.
Highest recorded here: Evelyn #75 in 2024, Willow #24 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Evelyn #75, Willow #44.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls15 shared years, 2011–2025
Evelyn held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Willow in 8.
Highest recorded here: Evelyn #8 in 2023, Willow #10 in 2022.
The order changed in 2023: Evelyn moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #20 and #10; by 2023 that had become #8 and #19.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Evelyn #13, Willow #23.
New Zealand · Girls13 shared years, 2011–2023
Evelyn held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Willow in 11.
Highest recorded here: Evelyn #12 in 2023, Willow #5 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Evelyn #12, Willow #6.
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 | Evelyn | Willow |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | From an English surname derived from the given name Aveline. Originally more common for boys in the 17th century, now used almost entirely as a feminine name. | From the name of the willow tree, ultimately from Old English 'welig' — an English nature/word name. |
| Origin | English (surname origin) | English, a modern nature name from the willow tree |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛv.ə.lɪn/ | /ˈwɪl.oʊ/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | 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 | England and Wales · Girls #12 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #20 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Evelyn is recorded with a English (surname origin) origin, while Willow is recorded with a English, a modern nature name from the willow tree origin.
- Evelyn has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Willow.
- Evelyn's recorded meaning differs from Willow's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Evelyn
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #121 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded2011–2025
Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2023 (recorded 2011–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #12 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Willow
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #891 among girls in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Highest recorded2010–2023
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in New Zealand, in 2020 (recorded 2010–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #20 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls