Ivy vs Sophie
Ivy and Sophiecompared 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 Sophie #6 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Ivy was ranked #9 and Sophie #63 among girls in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Ivy was ranked #22 and Sophie #14 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ivy was ranked #35 and Sophie #14 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ivy was ranked #14 and Sophie #17 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Ivy was ranked #30 and Sophie #22 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Ivy and Sophie over time
Ivy and Sophie appear together in 5 published lists, across 94 years of shared records. Sophie held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Ivy 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.
Sophie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 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 2018, Ivy moved ahead of Sophie in England and Wales · Girls — #25 and #16 the year before became #14 and #17.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ivy and Sophie changed places 8 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 2009 and 2025, ending at #30 and #22.
- Longest-running competitions
Ivy and Sophie were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #9 and #63.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Ivy held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Sophie in 22.
Highest recorded here: Ivy #5 in 2021, Sophie #1 in 1996.
The order changed in 2018: Ivy moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #25 and #16; by 2018 that had become #14 and #17.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ivy #9, Sophie #63.
Republic of Ireland · Girls20 shared years, 1972–2025
Ivy held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophie in 20.
Highest recorded here: Ivy #49 in 2023, Sophie #1 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ivy #50, Sophie #6.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls17 shared years, 2009–2025
Ivy held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Sophie in 11.
Highest recorded here: Ivy #11 in 2020, Sophie #6 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ivy #30, Sophie #22.
Northern Ireland · Girls14 shared years, 2009–2024
Ivy held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophie in 14.
Highest recorded here: Ivy #26 in 2023, Sophie #1 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ivy #35, Sophie #14.
New Zealand · Girls13 shared years, 2010–2023
Ivy held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophie in 13.
Highest recorded here: Ivy #22 in 2020, Sophie #1 in 2010.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Ivy #22, Sophie #14.
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 | Ivy | Sophie |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | From the English word for the ivy plant. | The French form of Sophia, from Ancient Greek 'sophia' meaning 'wisdom'. |
| Origin | English (plant name) | Greek, via French transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈaɪvi/ | /sɔ.fi/ |
| 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 | England and Wales · Girls #9 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #6 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ivy is recorded with a English (plant name) origin, while Sophie is recorded with a Greek, via French transmission origin.
- Ivy and Sophie both have 2 syllables.
- Ivy's recorded meaning differs from Sophie's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
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 recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in England and Wales, in 2021 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #9 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Sophie
Popularity journey
First recorded1960
First recorded at #492 among girls in Norway in 1960 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 1996 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #63 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls