Holly vs Saoirse
Holly and Saoirsecompared 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 Saoirse #17 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Holly was ranked #105 and Saoirse #37 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Holly was ranked #79 and Saoirse #196 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Holly was ranked #169 and Saoirse #402 among girls in England and Wales.
Holly and Saoirse over time
Holly and Saoirse appear together in 3 published lists, across 103 years of shared records. Holly held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Saoirse in 1.
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 3 of those lists, and Saoirse 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 Northern Ireland · Girls, Saoirse moved into the top 50 at #41 in 2019 as Holly fell out of it to #52, having been #34 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2019, Saoirse moved ahead of Holly in Northern Ireland · Girls — #34 and #46 the year before became #52 and #41.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Holly and Saoirse changed places 17 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1979 and 2025, ending at #69 and #17.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 45 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Holly and Saoirse averaged 32.1 places apart, ending at #69 and #17.
- Longest-running competitions
Holly and Saoirse were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #169 and #402.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls45 shared years, 1979–2025
Holly held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Saoirse in 27.
Highest recorded here: Holly #11 in 2010, Saoirse #12 in 2016.
The order changed in 2020: Saoirse moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #21 and #23; by 2020 that had become #28 and #20.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Holly #69, Saoirse #17.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Holly held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Saoirse in 0.
Highest recorded here: Holly #12 in 2002, Saoirse #307 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Holly #169, Saoirse #402.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Holly held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Saoirse in 6.
Highest recorded here: Holly #22 in 2003, Saoirse #37 in 2023.
The order changed in 2019: Saoirse moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #34 and #46; by 2019 that had become #52 and #41.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Holly #105, Saoirse #37.
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 | Saoirse |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Means 'freedom' in Irish; first adopted as a given name in the 20th century, reportedly with nationalist/political resonance given the meaning. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Irish |
| Pronunciation | /ˈsˠiːɾˠʃə/ | |
| 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 | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #69 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #17 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Saoirse has a recorded origin (Irish); Holly does not have one recorded yet.
- Holly and Saoirse both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Saoirse; Holly doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
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 #169 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Saoirse
Popularity journey
First recorded1971
First recorded at #417 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1971 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1971–2025
Highest recorded position: #12 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2016 (recorded 1971–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #402 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls