Jessica vs Lily
Jessica 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, Jessica was ranked #141 and Lily #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Jessica was ranked #139 and Lily #2 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Jessica was ranked #48 and Lily #4 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Jessica was ranked #127 and Lily #6 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2019, Jessica was ranked #85 and Lily #19 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2017, Jessica was ranked #96 and Lily #22 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Jessica was ranked #474 and Lily #123 among girls in Norway.
Jessica and Lily over time
Jessica and Lily appear together in 6 published lists, across 160 years of shared records. Jessica held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Lily in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 6 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Jessica reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Lily 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 2016, Lily moved ahead of Jessica in England and Wales · Girls — #7 and #13 the year before became #8 and #7.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Jessica and Lily changed places 5 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1999 and 2024, ending at #127 and #6.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Jessica and Lily averaged 30.6 places apart, ending at #139 and #2.
- Mirrored each other
Over 24 shared years in Norway · Girls, Lily rose about as far as Jessica fell — from #234 and #642 in 1994 to #474 and #123 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Jessica and Lily were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #139 and #2.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls36 shared years, 1981–2025
Jessica held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Lily in 17.
Highest recorded here: Jessica #12 in 1995, Lily #1 in 2025.
The order changed in 2009: Lily moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #22 and #29; by 2009 that had become #27 and #20.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jessica #141, Lily #1.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Jessica held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Lily in 12.
Highest recorded here: Jessica #1 in 2005, Lily #2 in 2025.
The order changed in 2016: Lily moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #7 and #13; by 2016 that had become #8 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jessica #139, Lily #2.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1999–2024
Jessica held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Lily in 11.
Highest recorded here: Jessica #4 in 2008, Lily #5 in 2011.
The order changed in 2016: Lily moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #11 and #15; by 2016 that had become #14 and #6.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jessica #127, Lily #6.
Norway · Girls24 shared years, 1994–2025
Jessica held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Lily in 14.
Highest recorded here: Jessica #143 in 2010, Lily #106 in 2023.
The order changed in 2011: Lily moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #143 and #226; by 2011 that had become #173 and #157.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jessica #474, Lily #123.
New Zealand · Girls23 shared years, 1997–2019
Jessica held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Lily in 13.
Highest recorded here: Jessica #1 in 1997, Lily #6 in 2008.
The order changed in 2007: Lily moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #8 and #10; by 2007 that had become #11 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Jessica #85, Lily #19.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls21 shared years, 1997–2017
Jessica held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Lily in 10.
Highest recorded here: Jessica #1 in 1997, Lily #7 in 2010.
The order changed in 2008: Lily moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #10 and #11; by 2008 that had become #16 and #13.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Jessica #96, Lily #22.
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 | Jessica | Lily |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Coined by William Shakespeare for his 1596 play The Merchant of Venice, where it belongs to Shylock's daughter — likely based on the biblical name Iscah, also spelled Jescha/Jischa in some translations of Shakespeare's time. | From the English word for the lily flower. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via a Shakespearean literary coinage | English (flower name) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈd͡ʒɛs.ɪ.kə/ | /ˈlɪli/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Lil, Lilah, Lillie, Lilly, Lilian |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #139 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #1 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Jessica is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via a Shakespearean literary coinage origin, while Lily is recorded with a English (flower name) origin.
- Jessica has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Lily.
- Jessica'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, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Jessica 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
Jessica
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #471 among girls in Norway in 1964 — 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 2005 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #139 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Lily
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1981–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025 (recorded 1981–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls