Finlay vs Reilly
Finlay and Reillycompared 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.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Finlay was ranked #11 and Reilly #535 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2017, Finlay was ranked #179 and Reilly #415 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Finlay was ranked #181 and Reilly #3688 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Finlay was ranked #396 and Reilly #770 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2016, Finlay was ranked #5785 and Reilly #4763 among girls in England and Wales.
Finlay and Reilly over time
Finlay and Reilly appear together in 2 published lists, across 37 years of shared records. Finlay held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Reilly 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.
Finlay reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Reilly 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 · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Finlay held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Reilly in 0.
Highest recorded here: Finlay #57 in 2005, Reilly #569 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Finlay #181, Reilly #3688.
England and Wales · Girls8 shared years, 1998–2016
Finlay held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Reilly in 2.
Highest recorded here: Finlay #995 in 1998, Reilly #3409 in 2002.
The order changed in 2011: Reilly moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #2627 and #4294; by 2011 that had become #5785 and #4049.
Most recent shared year, 2016: Finlay #5785, Reilly #4763.
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 | Finlay | Reilly |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #372 (2025) | Scotland · Boys #535 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Finlay and Reilly both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Finlay
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #1646 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 recorded2024–2024
Highest recorded position: #11 among boys in Scotland, in 2024 (recorded 2024–2024).
Scotland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #372 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Reilly
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #2357 among boys in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded2006–2017
Highest recorded position: #291 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2008 (recorded 2006–2017).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #3688 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys