Namewise

Freya vs Millie

Freya and Milliecompared 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 · Girls

    In 2024, Freya was ranked #3 and Millie #5 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Freya was ranked #7 and Millie #27 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Freya was ranked #10 and Millie #150 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2023, Freya was ranked #31 and Millie #19 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Freya was ranked #25 and Millie #36 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2025, Freya was ranked #49 and Millie #40 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Freya was ranked #147 and Millie #149 among girls in Norway.

Freya and Millie over time

Freya and Millie appear together in 6 published lists, across 119 years of shared records. Freya held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Millie in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Millie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Freya 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 2006, Freya moved ahead of Millie in Northern Ireland · Girls — #226 and #177 the year before became #101 and #203.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Freya and Millie changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Girls between 2014 and 2023, ending at #31 and #19.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Freya and Millie averaged 15.0 places apart, ending at #7 and #27.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Freya #5 in 2023, Millie #18 in 2022.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 19962024

    Freya held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Millie in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Freya #5 in 2023, Millie #18 in 2022.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Freya #7, Millie #27.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 19992025

    Freya held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Millie in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Freya #12 in 2024, Millie #19 in 2022.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Freya #25, Millie #36.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 20022024

    Freya held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Millie in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Freya #9 in 2022, Millie #76 in 2022.

    The order changed in 2006: Freya moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #226 and #177; by 2006 that had become #101 and #203.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Freya #10, Millie #150.

  • Scotland · Girls22 shared years, 20242024

    Freya held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Millie in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Freya #3 in 2024, Millie #5 in 2024.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Freya #3, Millie #5.

  • New Zealand · Girls10 shared years, 20142023

    Freya held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Millie in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Freya #22 in 2021, Millie #17 in 2022.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Freya #31, Millie #19.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls8 shared years, 20172025

    Freya held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Millie in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Freya #38 in 2023, Millie #31 in 2023.

    The order changed in 2022: Millie moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #55 and #62; by 2022 that had become #54 and #44.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Freya #49, Millie #40.

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 Freya, Millie
FieldFreyaMillie
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'lady' or 'noblewoman'.A diminutive of longer names like Mildred and Millicent, connecting to the broader family of names with the 'mil' element (including Camilla and Aemilia).
OriginOld NorseGermanic/Latin, diminutive form
Pronunciation/ˈfreɪə//ˈmɪl.i/
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesFreyja, FrejaNot 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 observationScotland · Girls #1 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #36 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Freya is recorded with a Old Norse origin, while Millie is recorded with a Germanic/Latin, diminutive form origin.
  • Freya has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Millie.
  • Freya's recorded meaning differs from Millie's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Freya a "high" Data Confidence level and Millie a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Freya

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1987

    First recorded at #488 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1987 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded2024–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Scotland, in 2025 (recorded 2024–2025).

    Scotland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #49 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

Millie

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1996

    First recorded at #140 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

  2. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #40 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls