Hazel vs Willow
Hazel and Willowcompared 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 2023, Hazel was ranked #10 and Willow #6 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Hazel was ranked #8 and Willow #23 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Hazel was ranked #75 and Willow #21 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Hazel was ranked #97 and Willow #29 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Hazel was ranked #169 and Willow #44 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Hazel was ranked #55 and Willow #58 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Hazel was ranked #4270 and Willow #4270 among boys in England and Wales.
Hazel and Willow over time
Hazel and Willow appear together in 5 published lists, across 87 years of shared records. Willow held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Hazel in 1.
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.
Willow reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Hazel 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.
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 2023, Hazel moved ahead of Willow in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #21 and #10 the year before became #15 and #19.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Hazel and Willow changed places 6 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 2003 and 2025, ending at #55 and #58.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Hazel #75 in 2024, Willow #9 in 2023.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Hazel held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Willow in 24.
Highest recorded here: Hazel #75 in 2024, Willow #9 in 2023.
The order changed in 2001: Willow moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #349 and #427; by 2001 that had become #399 and #251.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Hazel #75, Willow #21.
Republic of Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 2003–2025
Hazel held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Willow in 10.
Highest recorded here: Hazel #44 in 2024, Willow #29 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Hazel #55, Willow #58.
New Zealand · Girls14 shared years, 2010–2023
Hazel held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Willow in 12.
Highest recorded here: Hazel #10 in 2023, Willow #5 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Hazel #10, Willow #6.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls12 shared years, 2014–2025
Hazel held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Willow in 9.
Highest recorded here: Hazel #8 in 2024, Willow #10 in 2022.
The order changed in 2023: Hazel moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #21 and #10; by 2023 that had become #15 and #19.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Hazel #8, Willow #23.
Northern Ireland · Girls9 shared years, 2008–2024
Hazel held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Willow in 8.
Highest recorded here: Hazel #169 in 2024, Willow #24 in 2021.
The order changed in 2013: Willow moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #311 and #370; by 2013 that had become #370 and #103.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Hazel #169, Willow #44.
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 | Hazel | Willow |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | From the English word for the hazel tree, or the light brown colour associated with it, ultimately from Old English 'hæsel'. Created as a given name in the 19th century. | From the name of the willow tree, ultimately from Old English 'welig' — an English nature/word name. |
| Origin | English (nature name) | English, a modern nature name from the willow tree |
| Pronunciation | /ˈheɪ.zəl/ | /ˈwɪl.oʊ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #8 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #23 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Hazel is recorded with a English (nature name) origin, while Willow is recorded with a English, a modern nature name from the willow tree origin.
- Hazel and Willow both have 2 syllables.
- Hazel's recorded meaning differs from Willow'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
Hazel
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #154 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
Highest recorded2014–2025
Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2024 (recorded 2014–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #8 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Willow
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #891 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 recorded2010–2023
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in New Zealand, in 2020 (recorded 2010–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #23 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls