Namewise

Lilly vs Shonagh

Lilly and Shonaghcompared 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, Lilly was ranked #141 and Shonagh #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2002, Lilly was ranked #186 and Shonagh #4137 among girls in England and Wales.

Lilly and Shonagh over time

Lilly and Shonagh appear together in 1 published list, across 21 years of shared records. Lilly held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Shonagh 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.

Shonagh reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Lilly 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 2005, Lilly moved ahead of Shonagh in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #235 and #235 the year before became #173 and #461.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 21 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Lilly rose about as far as Shonagh fell — from #529 and #476 in 1983 to #141 and #885 in 2025.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 19832025

    Lilly held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Shonagh in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Lilly #75 in 2012, Shonagh #235 in 2004.

    The order changed in 2005: Lilly moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #235 and #235; by 2005 that had become #173 and #461.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Lilly #141, Shonagh #885.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Lilly, Shonagh
FieldLillyShonagh
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #38 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #885 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10074/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Lilly and Shonagh both have 2 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.

How each name got here

Lilly

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #150 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #27 among girls in England and Wales, in 2011 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #38 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls

Shonagh

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1980

    First recorded at #542 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1980 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1980–2025

    Highest recorded position: #235 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2004 (recorded 1980–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls