Fern vs Lily
Fern 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, Fern was ranked #544 and Lily #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Fern was ranked #311 and Lily #3 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Fern was ranked #275 and Lily #4 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Fern was ranked #407 and Lily #6 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Fern and Lily over time
Fern and Lily appear together in 2 published lists, across 45 years of shared records. Lily held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Fern 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.
Fern reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Lily 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Fern held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lily in 29.
Highest recorded here: Fern #233 in 1996, Lily #3 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Fern #311, Lily #3.
Republic of Ireland · Girls16 shared years, 1991–2025
Fern held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Lily in 15.
Highest recorded here: Fern #457 in 1991, Lily #1 in 2025.
The order changed in 1997: Lily moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #457 and #515; by 1997 that had become #576 and #254.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Fern #544, 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 | Fern | 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 | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Lil, Lilah, Lillie, Lilly, Lilian |
| Recorded regional usage | 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 #544 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #1 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 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
- Lily has a recorded origin (English (flower name)); Fern does not have one recorded yet.
- Fern has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Lily.
- A meaning is recorded for Lily; Fern doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
- The available evidence gives Fern 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
Fern
Popularity journey
First recorded1982
First recorded at #523 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1982 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #233 among girls in England and Wales, in 1996 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #544 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