Holly vs Lilly
Holly and Lillycompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Holly was ranked #69 and Lilly #141 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2015, Holly was ranked #98 and Lilly #77 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2020, Holly was ranked #78 and Lilly #98 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Holly was ranked #79 and Lilly #138 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Holly was ranked #105 and Lilly #227 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Holly was ranked #137 and Lilly #130 among girls in England and Wales.
Holly and Lilly over time
Holly and Lilly appear together in 5 published lists, across 104 years of shared records. Holly held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Lilly in 0.
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.
Holly reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Lilly 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 2022, Lilly moved ahead of Holly in England and Wales · Girls — #95 and #96 the year before became #108 and #92.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Holly #25 in 2010, Lilly #106 in 2011.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Holly held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Lilly in 3.
Highest recorded here: Holly #12 in 2002, Lilly #27 in 2011.
The order changed in 2022: Lilly moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #95 and #96; by 2022 that had become #108 and #92.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Holly #137, Lilly #130.
Republic of Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1983–2025
Holly held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Lilly in 0.
Highest recorded here: Holly #11 in 2010, Lilly #75 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Holly #69, Lilly #141.
Northern Ireland · Girls20 shared years, 2005–2024
Holly held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Lilly in 0.
Highest recorded here: Holly #25 in 2010, Lilly #106 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Holly #105, Lilly #227.
New Zealand · Girls15 shared years, 2005–2020
Holly held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Lilly in 2.
Highest recorded here: Holly #18 in 2005, Lilly #39 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Holly #78, Lilly #98.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls13 shared years, 2003–2015
Holly held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Lilly in 5.
Highest recorded here: Holly #19 in 2003, Lilly #35 in 2009.
The order changed in 2015: Lilly moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #67 and #68; by 2015 that had become #98 and #77.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Holly #98, Lilly #77.
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 | Holly | Lilly |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | ||
| 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, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #69 (2025) | Norway · Girls #38 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Holly and Lilly both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Holly
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1976–2025
Highest recorded position: #11 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2010 (recorded 1976–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #69 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Lilly
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #150 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #27 among girls in England and Wales, in 2011 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #38 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls