Felicity vs Lily
Felicity 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, Felicity was ranked #608 and Lily #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Felicity was ranked #153 and Lily #3 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Felicity was ranked #476 and Lily #4 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2022, Felicity was ranked #266 and Lily #7 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Felicity and Lily over time
Felicity and Lily appear together in 3 published lists, across 57 years of shared records. Lily held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Felicity in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Felicity reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 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 2004, Lily moved ahead of Felicity in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #423 and #471 the year before became #677 and #59.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Felicity held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lily in 29.
Highest recorded here: Felicity #97 in 2016, Lily #3 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Felicity #153, Lily #3.
Northern Ireland · Girls14 shared years, 2003–2022
Felicity held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lily in 14.
Highest recorded here: Felicity #189 in 2019, Lily #7 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Felicity #266, Lily #7.
Republic of Ireland · Girls14 shared years, 1981–2025
Felicity held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Lily in 13.
Highest recorded here: Felicity #423 in 1981, Lily #1 in 2025.
The order changed in 2004: Lily moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #423 and #471; by 2004 that had become #677 and #59.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Felicity #608, Lily #1.
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 | Felicity | Lily |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | From the English word for the lily flower. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | English (flower name) |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈlɪli/ |
| Syllables | 4 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Lil, Lilah, Lillie, Lilly, Lilian |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #1 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Lily has a recorded origin (English (flower name)); Felicity does not have one recorded yet.
- Felicity has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Lily.
- A meaning is recorded for Lily; Felicity doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
- The available evidence gives Felicity 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
Felicity
Popularity journey
First recorded1966
First recorded at #380 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1975–1984
Highest recorded position: #88 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1977 (recorded 1975–1984).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · 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