Namewise

Holly vs Molly

Holly and Mollycompared 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 Molly #20 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Holly was ranked #105 and Molly #28 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Holly was ranked #79 and Molly #68 among girls in Scotland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2015, Holly was ranked #98 and Molly #78 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2020, Holly was ranked #78 and Molly #86 among girls in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Holly was ranked #137 and Molly #104 among girls in England and Wales.

Holly and Molly over time

Holly and Molly appear together in 5 published lists, across 135 years of shared records. Holly held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Molly in 1.

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 3 of those lists, Molly in 1. 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 2019, Molly moved ahead of Holly in England and Wales · Girls — #56 and #58 the year before became #72 and #57.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Holly and Molly changed places 7 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #137 and #104.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Holly and Molly averaged 10.7 places apart, ending at #137 and #104.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Holly and Molly were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 36 years, from 1989 to 2025, ending at #69 and #20.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Holly #12 in 2002, Molly #15 in 2001.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls36 shared years, 1989–2025

    Holly held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Molly in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Holly #11 in 2010, Molly #18 in 2019.

    The order changed in 2019: Molly moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #23 and #28; by 2019 that had become #21 and #18.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Holly #69, Molly #20.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Holly held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Molly in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Holly #12 in 2002, Molly #15 in 2001.

    The order changed in 2019: Molly moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #56 and #58; by 2019 that had become #72 and #57.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Holly #137, Molly #104.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Holly held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Molly in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Holly #22 in 2003, Molly #18 in 2007.

    The order changed in 2004: Molly moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #22 and #23; by 2004 that had become #29 and #25.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Holly #105, Molly #28.

  • New Zealand · Girls22 shared years, 1997–2020

    Holly held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Molly in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Holly #16 in 2003, Molly #31 in 2003.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2020: Holly #78, Molly #86.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls20 shared years, 1996–2015

    Holly held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Molly in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Holly #19 in 2003, Molly #32 in 2005.

    The order changed in 2015: Molly moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #67 and #86; by 2015 that had become #98 and #78.

    Most recent shared year, 2015: Holly #98, Molly #78.

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 Molly

Pairs where Molly 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 — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

Pairs measured inside England and Wales's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

England and Wales 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, Molly
FieldHollyMolly
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Pronunciation
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
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)Republic of Ireland · Girls #20 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Holly and Molly 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

  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 #69 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

Molly

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1989

    First recorded at #408 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1989 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #15 among girls in England and Wales, in 2001 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #217 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls