Holly vs Lily

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 Lily #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

• England and Wales · Girls

  In 2025, Holly was ranked #169 and Lily #2 among girls in England and Wales.

• Scotland · Girls

  In 2024, Holly was ranked #79 and Lily #4 among girls in Scotland.

• Northern Ireland · Girls

  In 2024, Holly was ranked #105 and Lily #6 among girls in Northern Ireland.

• New Zealand · Girls

  In 2020, Holly was ranked #78 and Lily #8 among girls in New Zealand.

• New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  In 2015, Holly was ranked #98 and Lily #23 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

Holly and Lily over time

Holly and Lily appear together in 5 published lists, across 134 years of shared records. Lily held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Holly in 0.

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 Lily 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.

List by list

• Republic of Ireland · Girls36 shared years, 1981–2025

  Holly held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Lily in 18.

  Highest recorded here: Holly #11 in 2010, Lily #1 in 2025.

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

  Most recent shared year, 2025: Holly #69, Lily #1.

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

  Holly held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Lily in 22.

  Highest recorded here: Holly #12 in 2002, Lily #2 in 2025.

  The order changed in 2004: Lily moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #13 and #23; by 2004 that had become #17 and #16.

  Most recent shared year, 2025: Holly #169, Lily #2.

• Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1999–2024

  Holly held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Lily in 15.

  Highest recorded here: Holly #22 in 2003, Lily #5 in 2011.

  The order changed in 2010: Lily moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #26 and #28; by 2010 that had become #25 and #15.

  Most recent shared year, 2024: Holly #105, Lily #6.

• New Zealand · Girls23 shared years, 1997–2020

  Holly held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Lily in 16.

  Highest recorded here: Holly #16 in 2003, Lily #6 in 2008.

  The order changed in 2004: Lily moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #16 and #20; by 2004 that had become #18 and #16.

  Most recent shared year, 2020: Holly #78, Lily #8.

• New South Wales, Australia · Girls19 shared years, 1997–2015

  Holly held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Lily in 16.

  Highest recorded here: Holly #19 in 2003, Lily #7 in 2010.

  The order changed in 2003: Lily moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #22 and #23; by 2003 that had become #19 and #16.

  Most recent shared year, 2015: Holly #98, Lily #23.

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.

Side by side

How each name got here