Namewise

Ivy vs Lily

Ivy and Lilycompared 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, Ivy was ranked #50 and Lily #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Ivy was ranked #5 and Lily #3 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Ivy was ranked #14 and Lily #4 among girls in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Ivy was ranked #35 and Lily #6 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2023, Ivy was ranked #22 and Lily #7 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2025, Ivy was ranked #30 and Lily #9 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

Ivy and Lily over time

Ivy and Lily appear together in 5 published lists, across 92 years of shared records. Lily held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Ivy in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Lily reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Ivy in 2. 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.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Ivy #22 in 2020, Lily #5 in 2022.

List by list

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

    Ivy held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Lily in 27.

    Highest recorded here: Ivy #5 in 2021, Lily #3 in 2011.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Ivy #5, Lily #3.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 2002–2025

    Ivy held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lily in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Ivy #49 in 2023, Lily #1 in 2025.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ivy #50, Lily #1.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls17 shared years, 2009–2025

    Ivy held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Lily in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Ivy #11 in 2020, Lily #7 in 2010.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ivy #30, Lily #9.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls14 shared years, 2009–2024

    Ivy held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lily in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Ivy #26 in 2023, Lily #6 in 2016.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Ivy #35, Lily #6.

  • New Zealand · Girls13 shared years, 2010–2023

    Ivy held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lily in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Ivy #22 in 2020, Lily #5 in 2022.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Ivy #22, Lily #7.

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 Ivy

Pairs where Ivy shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

  • Ivy vs Aurora

    Ivy and Aurora both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; New Zealand · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Ivy · Aurora · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Charlotte vs Ivy

    Charlotte and Ivy both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — New South Wales, Australia · Girls; New Zealand · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Charlotte · Ivy · 21 shared years, 1972–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Ivy vs Ada

    Ivy and Ada both rose over the same years in 3 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Ivy · Ada · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Ivy vs Bonnie

    Ivy and Bonnie both rose over the same years in 3 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Ivy · Bonnie · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Moved together in several countries

Other comparisons involving Lily

Pairs where Lily 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 — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

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

Republic of Ireland 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 Ivy, Lily
FieldIvyLily
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningFrom the English word for the ivy plant.From the English word for the lily flower.
OriginEnglish (plant name)English (flower name)
Pronunciation/ˈaɪvi//ˈlɪli/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedLil, Lilah, Lillie, Lilly, Lilian
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 observationNew South Wales, Australia · Girls #30 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #1 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Ivy is recorded with a English (plant name) origin, while Lily is recorded with a English (flower name) origin.
  • Ivy and Lily both have 2 syllables.
  • Ivy's recorded meaning differs from Lily's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Ivy a "medium" Data Confidence level and Lily a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Ivy

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1972

    First recorded at #471 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1972 — 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: #5 among girls in England and Wales, in 2021 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #30 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

Lily

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1981

    First recorded at #471 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1981 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1981–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025 (recorded 1981–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #9 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls