Namewise

Florence vs Olivia

Florence and Oliviacompared 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.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Florence was ranked #6 and Olivia #1 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Florence was ranked #90 and Olivia #1 among girls in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Florence was ranked #101 and Olivia #2 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2025, Florence was ranked #25 and Olivia #3 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2023, Florence was ranked #20 and Olivia #4 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Florence was ranked #196 and Olivia #8 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Florence and Olivia over time

Florence and Olivia appear together in 5 published lists, across 121 years of shared records. Olivia held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Florence 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.

Olivia reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Florence 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 1966, Olivia moved ahead of Florence in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #186 and #194 the year before became #189 and #147.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Florence and Olivia were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 54 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #196 and #8.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Florence #101 in 2024, Olivia #2 in 2024.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls54 shared years, 19642025

    Florence held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Olivia in 52.

    Highest recorded here: Florence #146 in 1964, Olivia #4 in 1975.

    The order changed in 1966: Olivia moved ahead. In 1965 they stood at #186 and #194; by 1966 that had become #189 and #147.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Florence #196, Olivia #8.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 19962024

    Florence held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Olivia in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Florence #6 in 2024, Olivia #1 in 2008.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Florence #6, Olivia #1.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls17 shared years, 19992024

    Florence held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Olivia in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Florence #101 in 2024, Olivia #2 in 2024.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Florence #101, Olivia #2.

  • New Zealand · Girls11 shared years, 20132023

    Florence held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Olivia in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Florence #20 in 2023, Olivia #1 in 2015.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Florence #20, Olivia #4.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls10 shared years, 20162025

    Florence held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Olivia in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Florence #25 in 2025, Olivia #1 in 2016.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Florence #25, Olivia #3.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Florence, Olivia
FieldFlorenceOlivia
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningFlourishing, blossoming.Commonly interpreted as 'olive tree' or 'symbol of peace'.
OriginLatinLatin
Pronunciation/ˈflɔɹəns//əˈlɪviə/
Syllables33
Common variants / nicknamesFlo, FlorrieOlivea, Liv, Livvy, Oliwia
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNew South Wales, Australia · Girls #25 (2025)Norway · Girls #2 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)76/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighhigh

What the data shows

  • Both Florence and Olivia share a recorded Latin origin.
  • Florence and Olivia both have 3 syllables.
  • Florence's recorded meaning differs from Olivia'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

Florence

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #146 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #6 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #25 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

Olivia

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #488 among girls in Norway in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2008 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #3 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls