Namewise

Fiona vs Kelly

Fiona and Kellycompared 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 1987, Fiona was ranked #92 and Kelly #23 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1987, Fiona was ranked #95 and Kelly #34 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2023, Fiona was ranked #279 and Kelly #404 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2014, Fiona was ranked #365 and Kelly #365 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2019, Fiona was ranked #372 and Kelly #479 among girls in Norway.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Fiona was ranked #638 and Kelly #790 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Fiona was ranked #1406 and Kelly #1672 among girls in England and Wales.

Fiona and Kelly over time

Fiona and Kelly appear together in 6 published lists, across 151 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Fiona reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Kelly 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 1975, Kelly moved ahead of Fiona in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #17 and #20 the year before became #21 and #19.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Fiona and Kelly changed places 7 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #1406 and #1672.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Fiona and Kelly averaged 29.0 places apart, ending at #95 and #34.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Fiona and Kelly were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 54 years, from 1969 to 2023, ending at #279 and #404.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Fiona #157 in 1996, Kelly #74 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls54 shared years, 1969–2023

    Fiona held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Kelly in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Fiona #4 in 1971, Kelly #35 in 1994.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Fiona #279, Kelly #404.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Fiona held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Kelly in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Fiona #157 in 1996, Kelly #74 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2023: Fiona moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #1621 and #1215; by 2023 that had become #1108 and #1774.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Fiona #1406, Kelly #1672.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls23 shared years, 1964–1987

    Fiona held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Kelly in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Fiona #12 in 1969, Kelly #6 in 1979.

    The order changed in 1975: Kelly moved ahead. In 1974 they stood at #17 and #20; by 1975 that had become #21 and #19.

    Most recent shared year, 1987: Fiona #95, Kelly #34.

  • New Zealand · Girls18 shared years, 1970–1987

    Fiona held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Kelly in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Fiona #15 in 1974, Kelly #3 in 1978.

    The order changed in 1975: Kelly moved ahead. In 1974 they stood at #15 and #20; by 1975 that had become #25 and #20.

    Most recent shared year, 1987: Fiona #92, Kelly #23.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls15 shared years, 1997–2014

    Fiona held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Kelly in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Fiona #66 in 1997, Kelly #101 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2014: Fiona #365, Kelly #365.

  • Norway · Girls12 shared years, 1967–2019

    Fiona held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Kelly in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Fiona #265 in 2006, Kelly #435 in 2005.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Fiona #372, Kelly #479.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Fiona

Pairs where Fiona shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Kelly

Pairs where Kelly shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Fiona, Kelly
FieldFionaKelly
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningThe feminine form of Fionn. Popularized by Scottish poet James Macpherson in his 1761 poem Fingal, where it was spelled 'Fióna'.Not yet recorded
OriginScottish, feminine of FionnNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/fi.ˈoʊ.nə/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #325 (2025)Scotland · Girls #790 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Fiona has a recorded origin (Scottish, feminine of Fionn); Kelly does not have one recorded yet.
  • Fiona and Kelly both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Fiona; Kelly doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Fiona

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1955

    First recorded at #87 among girls in New Zealand in 1955 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New Zealand · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1971 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #399 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls

Kelly

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #93 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1970–1998

    Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in New Zealand, in 1978 (recorded 1970–1998).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #1672 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Girls