Lilly-May vs Thea
Lilly-May and Theacompared 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, Lilly-May was ranked #1406 and Thea #66 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2021, Lilly-May was ranked #883 and Thea #136 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Lilly-May and Thea over time
Lilly-May and Thea appear together in 1 published list, across 27 years of shared records. Thea held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Lilly-May in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Lilly-May reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Thea 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2024
Lilly-May held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Thea in 26.
Highest recorded here: Lilly-May #233 in 2011, Thea #46 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lilly-May #1406, Thea #66.
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 | Lilly-May | Thea |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | A short form of Dorothea, Theodora, Theresa and other similar-sounding Greek-rooted names. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Greek (via Germanic/Scandinavian transmission) |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈteː.a/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #1406 (2024) | Norway · Girls #50 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 70/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 60/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Thea has a recorded origin (Greek (via Germanic/Scandinavian transmission)); Lilly-May does not have one recorded yet.
- Lilly-May has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Thea.
- A meaning is recorded for Thea; Lilly-May doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
How each name got here
Lilly-May
Popularity journey
First recorded1997
First recorded at #3824 among girls in England and Wales in 1997 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #233 among girls in England and Wales, in 2011 (recorded 1997–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1406 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls
Thea
Popularity journey
First recorded1950
First recorded at #380 among girls in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1950–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Norway, in 2006 (recorded 1950–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #50 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls