Lily vs Nelly
Lily and Nellycompared 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 Nelly #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Lily was ranked #2 and Nelly #353 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Lily was ranked #4 and Nelly #476 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2022, Lily was ranked #7 and Nelly #418 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Lily was ranked #123 and Nelly #194 among girls in Norway.
Lily and Nelly over time
Lily and Nelly appear together in 3 published lists, across 69 years of shared records. Lily held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Nelly in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Nelly reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Lily and Nelly changed places 4 times in Norway · Girls between 1997 and 2025, ending at #123 and #194.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls25 shared years, 2001–2025
Lily held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Nelly in 0.
Highest recorded here: Lily #2 in 2025, Nelly #232 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lily #2, Nelly #353.
Norway · Girls25 shared years, 1997–2025
Lily held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Nelly in 2.
Highest recorded here: Lily #90 in 2024, Nelly #132 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lily #123, Nelly #194.
Republic of Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 2007–2025
Lily held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Nelly in 0.
Highest recorded here: Lily #1 in 2025, Nelly #474 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lily #1, Nelly #608.
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 | Nelly |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 2 |
| 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 | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #1 (2025) | Norway · Girls #194 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Lily has a recorded origin (English (flower name)); Nelly does not have one recorded yet.
- Lily and Nelly both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Lily; Nelly doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
- The available evidence gives Lily a "high" Data Confidence level and Nelly 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 #2 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Nelly
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #206 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: #132 among girls in Norway, in 2019 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #353 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls