Ivy vs Penny

Ivy and Pennycompared 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.

England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ivy was ranked #5 and Penny #193 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ivy was ranked #14 and Penny #138 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ivy was ranked #35 and Penny #134 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ivy was ranked #50 and Penny #156 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Ivy and Penny over time

Ivy and Penny appear together in 3 published lists, across 62 years of shared records. Ivy held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Penny in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Penny reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Ivy 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 2015, Ivy moved ahead of Penny in Northern Ireland · Girls — #205 and #106 the year before became #116 and #129.
Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Ivy #5 in 2021, Penny #166 in 2020.

List by list

England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ivy held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Penny in 9.
Highest recorded here: Ivy #5 in 2021, Penny #166 in 2020.
The order changed in 2005: Ivy moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #758 and #655; by 2005 that had become #494 and #824.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ivy #5, Penny #193.
Republic of Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 2002–2025
Ivy held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Penny in 11.
Highest recorded here: Ivy #49 in 2023, Penny #82 in 2022.
The order changed in 2018: Ivy moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #137 and #108; by 2018 that had become #84 and #103.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ivy #50, Penny #156.
Northern Ireland · Girls14 shared years, 2009–2024
Ivy held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Penny in 3.
Highest recorded here: Ivy #26 in 2023, Penny #67 in 2022.
The order changed in 2015: Ivy moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #205 and #106; by 2015 that had become #116 and #129.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ivy #35, Penny #134.

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

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Ivy, Penny
Field	Ivy	Penny
Record type	Editorially researched profile	Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usage	female	female
Meaning	From the English word for the ivy plant.	Not yet recorded
Origin	English (plant name)	Not yet recorded
Pronunciation	/ˈaɪvi/
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	New South Wales, Australia · Girls #30 (2025)	Republic of Ireland · Girls #156 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	90/100	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	95/100	94/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Ivy has a recorded origin (English (plant name)); Penny does not have one recorded yet.
Ivy and Penny both have 2 syllables.
A meaning is recorded for Ivy; Penny doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.

How each name got here

Ivy

Popularity journey

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
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in England and Wales, in 2021 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #30 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls

Penny

Popularity journey

First recorded1973
First recorded at #508 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1973 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded2009–2024
Highest recorded position: #67 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2022 (recorded 2009–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #156 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls