Holly vs Lucy
Holly and Lucycompared 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 2020, Holly was ranked #78 and Lucy #16 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Holly was ranked #69 and Lucy #16 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2015, Holly was ranked #98 and Lucy #27 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Holly was ranked #79 and Lucy #28 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Holly was ranked #105 and Lucy #38 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Holly was ranked #137 and Lucy #123 among girls in England and Wales.
Holly and Lucy over time
Holly and Lucy appear together in 5 published lists, across 171 years of shared records. Lucy held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Holly in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one 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 Lucy 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 2005, Lucy moved ahead of Holly in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #21 and #30 the year before became #28 and #25.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Holly and Lucy changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #137 and #123.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Holly and Lucy averaged 8.9 places apart, ending at #137 and #123.
- Longest-running competitions
Holly and Lucy were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 31 years, from 1985 to 2015, ending at #98 and #27.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Holly #12 in 2002, Lucy #7 in 2003.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls46 shared years, 1976–2025
Holly held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Lucy in 39.
Highest recorded here: Holly #11 in 2010, Lucy #3 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Holly #69, Lucy #16.
New Zealand · Girls37 shared years, 1983–2020
Holly held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Lucy in 21.
Highest recorded here: Holly #16 in 1994, Lucy #12 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Holly #78, Lucy #16.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls31 shared years, 1985–2015
Holly held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Lucy in 23.
Highest recorded here: Holly #19 in 2003, Lucy #20 in 2012.
The order changed in 2005: Lucy moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #21 and #30; by 2005 that had become #28 and #25.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Holly #98, Lucy #27.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Holly held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Lucy in 27.
Highest recorded here: Holly #12 in 2002, Lucy #7 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Holly #137, Lucy #123.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Holly held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lucy in 28.
Highest recorded here: Holly #22 in 2003, Lucy #4 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Holly #105, Lucy #38.
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 | Lucy |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | The English form of Lucia, from Latin 'lux' meaning 'light'. In use since the Middle Ages. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈluː.si/ | |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #16 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Lucy has a recorded origin (Latin); Holly does not have one recorded yet.
- Holly and Lucy both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Lucy; Holly doesn't have one written yet.
- 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
Lucy
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #523 among girls in Norway in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2016 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #32 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls