Lillian vs Orla

Lillian and Orlacompared 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.

Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Lillian was ranked #476 and Orla #19 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Lillian was ranked #309 and Orla #58 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2022, Lillian was ranked #418 and Orla #127 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Lillian was ranked #413 and Orla #189 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Lillian and Orla over time

Lillian and Orla appear together in 2 published lists, across 85 years of shared records. Orla held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Lillian 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.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 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.

Longest-running competitions
Lillian and Orla were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 56 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #413 and #189.

List by list

Republic of Ireland · Girls56 shared years, 1964–2025
Lillian held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Orla in 56.
Highest recorded here: Lillian #236 in 2016, Orla #22 in 1980.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lillian #413, Orla #189.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Lillian held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Orla in 28.
Highest recorded here: Lillian #274 in 2017, Orla #56 in 2023.
The order changed in 1997: Orla moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #533 and #549; by 1997 that had become #618 and #396.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lillian #309, Orla #58.

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 Orla

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

Orla vs Yvonne
In 1964 they stood at #52 and #45 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2016 they were #95 and #868.
Orla · Yvonne · 51 shared years, 1964–2016 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2016 Republic of Ireland ranking
Lorraine vs Orla
In 1964 they stood at #47 and #52 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2018 they were #896 and #169.
Lorraine · Orla · 50 shared years, 1964–2018 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2018 Republic of Ireland ranking
Barbara vs Orla
In 1964 they stood at #43 and #52 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2023 they were #856 and #179.
Barbara · Orla · 56 shared years, 1964–2023 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2023 Republic of Ireland ranking
Orla vs Denise
In 1964 they stood at #52 and #56 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 4 places apart; by 2020 they were #160 and #834.
Orla · Denise · 54 shared years, 1964–2020 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2020 Republic of Ireland ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Lillian, Orla
Field	Lillian	Orla
Record type	Official statistical record (evidence-only)	Editorially researched profile
Gender usage	female	female
Meaning	Not yet recorded	The Anglicized form of Órlaith, combining Irish 'ór' (gold) with 'flaith' (sovereignty, royalty) — traditionally read as 'golden princess' or 'golden sovereignty'.
Origin	Not yet recorded	Irish
Pronunciation		/ˈɔɹ.lə/
Syllables	2	2
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Órlaith, Orlagh, Órfhlaith
Recorded regional usage	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO	GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE
Most recent popularity observation	Norway · Girls #295 (2025)	Republic of Ireland · Girls #189 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	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

Orla has a recorded origin (Irish); Lillian does not have one recorded yet.
Lillian and Orla both have 2 syllables.
A meaning is recorded for Orla; Lillian doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
The available evidence gives Lillian a "medium" Data Confidence level and Orla a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Lillian

Popularity journey

First recorded1945
First recorded at #40 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #40 among girls in Norway, in 1945 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #295 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls

Orla

Popularity journey

First recorded1964
First recorded at #52 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #189 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls