Lily vs Maya
Lily and Mayacompared 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, Lily was ranked #1 and Maya #40 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Lily was ranked #3 and Maya #15 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Lily was ranked #4 and Maya #19 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Lily was ranked #6 and Maya #47 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Lily was ranked #7 and Maya #72 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Lily was ranked #9 and Maya #53 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Lily was ranked #123 and Maya #86 among girls in Norway.
Lily and Maya over time
Lily and Maya appear together in 6 published lists, across 147 years of shared records. Lily held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Maya in 1.
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 3 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 moved ahead of the other
In 2002, Lily moved ahead of Maya in Northern Ireland · Girls — #344 and #227 the year before became #162 and #339.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Lily and Maya averaged 58.4 places apart, ending at #3 and #15.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Lily #1 in 2025, Maya #17 in 2024.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Lily held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Maya in 0.
Highest recorded here: Lily #3 in 2011, Maya #15 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lily #3, Maya #15.
Republic of Ireland · Girls29 shared years, 1997–2025
Lily held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Maya in 0.
Highest recorded here: Lily #1 in 2025, Maya #17 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lily #1, Maya #40.
Norway · Girls26 shared years, 1994–2025
Lily held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Maya in 26.
Highest recorded here: Lily #90 in 2024, Maya #66 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lily #123, Maya #86.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls25 shared years, 2001–2025
Lily held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Maya in 0.
Highest recorded here: Lily #7 in 2010, Maya #28 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lily #9, Maya #53.
Northern Ireland · Girls24 shared years, 1999–2024
Lily held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Maya in 1.
Highest recorded here: Lily #5 in 2011, Maya #47 in 2024.
The order changed in 2002: Lily moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #344 and #227; by 2002 that had become #162 and #339.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lily #6, Maya #47.
New Zealand · Girls14 shared years, 2003–2023
Lily held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Maya in 0.
Highest recorded here: Lily #5 in 2022, Maya #68 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Lily #7, Maya #72.
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 | Lily | Maya |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | From the English word for the lily flower. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | English (flower name) | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈlɪli/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Lil, Lilah, Lillie, Lilly, Lilian | Not yet recorded |
| 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 | Republic of Ireland · Girls #1 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #40 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Lily has a recorded origin (English (flower name)); Maya does not have one recorded yet.
- Lily has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Maya.
- A meaning is recorded for Lily; Maya doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Lily a "high" Data Confidence level and Maya a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
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 #9 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Maya
Popularity journey
First recorded1961
First recorded at #497 among girls in Norway in 1961 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #15 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #53 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls