Namewise

Holly vs Isabella

Holly and Isabellacompared 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 2025, Holly was ranked #169 and Isabella #10 among girls in England and Wales.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2015, Holly was ranked #98 and Isabella #11 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2020, Holly was ranked #78 and Isabella #12 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Holly was ranked #105 and Isabella #44 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Holly was ranked #69 and Isabella #48 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Holly was ranked #79 and Isabella #50 among girls in Scotland.

Holly and Isabella over time

Holly and Isabella appear together in 5 published lists, across 142 years of shared records. Isabella held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Holly in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Holly reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Isabella 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 took the other's place near the top

    In Republic of Ireland · Girls, Isabella moved into the top 50 at #48 in 2025 as Holly fell out of it to #69, having been #39 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2007, Isabella moved ahead of Holly in England and Wales · Girls — #18 and #20 the year before became #20 and #19.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Holly and Isabella averaged 48.6 places apart, ending at #169 and #10.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Holly and Isabella were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #169 and #10.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls38 shared years, 1976–2025

    Holly held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Isabella in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Holly #11 in 2010, Isabella #41 in 2014.

    The order changed in 2025: Isabella moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #39 and #55; by 2025 that had become #69 and #48.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Holly #69, Isabella #48.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Holly held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Isabella in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Holly #12 in 2002, Isabella #6 in 2016.

    The order changed in 2007: Isabella moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #18 and #20; by 2007 that had become #20 and #19.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Holly #169, Isabella #10.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1999–2024

    Holly held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Isabella in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Holly #22 in 2003, Isabella #27 in 2019.

    The order changed in 2015: Isabella moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #30 and #37; by 2015 that had become #38 and #29.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Holly #105, Isabella #44.

  • New Zealand · Girls25 shared years, 1995–2020

    Holly held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Isabella in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Holly #16 in 2003, Isabella #4 in 2008.

    The order changed in 2001: Isabella moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #18 and #26; by 2001 that had become #22 and #15.

    Most recent shared year, 2020: Holly #78, Isabella #12.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls23 shared years, 1993–2015

    Holly held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Isabella in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Holly #19 in 2003, Isabella #1 in 2007.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2015: Holly #98, Isabella #11.

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 Holly

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

Other comparisons involving Isabella

Pairs where Isabella 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 — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Northern 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.

Northern 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 Holly, Isabella
FieldHollyIsabella
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedMy God is an oath (via Elizabeth).
OriginNot yet recordedSpanish/Italian, via Elizabeth
Pronunciation/ˌɪzəˈbɛlə/
Syllables24
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedBella, Izzy, Isabel, Isobel
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 observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #69 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #10 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10076/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Isabella has a recorded origin (Spanish/Italian, via Elizabeth); Holly does not have one recorded yet.
  • Holly has 2 syllables, compared with 4 for Isabella.
  • A meaning is recorded for Isabella; Holly doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Holly a "medium" Data Confidence level and Isabella a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Holly

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1976

    First recorded at #392 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1976 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1976–2025

    Highest recorded position: #11 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2010 (recorded 1976–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #169 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Isabella

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1960

    First recorded at #472 among girls in Norway in 1960 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1993–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2007 (recorded 1993–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #10 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls