Ivy vs Willow
Ivy and Willowcompared 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 Willow #21 among girls in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Ivy was ranked #22 and Willow #6 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ivy was ranked #14 and Willow #29 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Ivy was ranked #30 and Willow #23 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ivy was ranked #35 and Willow #44 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ivy was ranked #50 and Willow #58 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Ivy and Willow over time
Ivy and Willow appear together in 5 published lists, across 91 years of shared records. Willow held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Ivy 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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 2 of the lists they share.
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 Republic of Ireland · Girls, Ivy moved into the top 50 at #50 in 2025 as Willow fell out of it to #58, having been #47 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2017, Ivy moved ahead of Willow in England and Wales · Girls — #33 and #32 the year before became #25 and #26.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ivy and Willow changed places 5 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 2009 and 2025, ending at #30 and #23.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Ivy #5 in 2021, Willow #9 in 2023.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ivy held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Willow in 21.
Highest recorded here: Ivy #5 in 2021, Willow #9 in 2023.
The order changed in 2017: Ivy moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #33 and #32; by 2017 that had become #25 and #26.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ivy #5, Willow #21.
Republic of Ireland · Girls18 shared years, 2007–2025
Ivy held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Willow in 16.
Highest recorded here: Ivy #49 in 2023, Willow #29 in 2021.
The order changed in 2025: Ivy moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #60 and #47; by 2025 that had become #50 and #58.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ivy #50, Willow #58.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls17 shared years, 2009–2025
Ivy held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Willow in 6.
Highest recorded here: Ivy #11 in 2020, Willow #10 in 2022.
The order changed in 2025: Willow moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #20 and #25; by 2025 that had become #30 and #23.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ivy #30, Willow #23.
Northern Ireland · Girls14 shared years, 2009–2024
Ivy held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Willow in 11.
Highest recorded here: Ivy #26 in 2023, Willow #24 in 2021.
The order changed in 2023: Ivy moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #40 and #32; by 2023 that had become #26 and #45.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ivy #35, Willow #44.
New Zealand · Girls13 shared years, 2010–2023
Ivy held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Willow in 13.
Highest recorded here: Ivy #22 in 2020, Willow #5 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Ivy #22, Willow #6.
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 | Willow |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | From the English word for the ivy plant. | From the name of the willow tree, ultimately from Old English 'welig' — an English nature/word name. |
| Origin | English (plant name) | English, a modern nature name from the willow tree |
| Pronunciation | /ˈaɪvi/ | /ˈwɪl.oʊ/ |
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #30 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #23 (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 Willow is recorded with a English, a modern nature name from the willow tree origin.
- Ivy and Willow both have 2 syllables.
- Ivy's recorded meaning differs from Willow'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 recorded1996–2024
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
Willow
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #891 among girls in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Highest recorded2010–2023
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in New Zealand, in 2020 (recorded 2010–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #23 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls