Namewise

Lily vs Nicola

Lily and Nicolacompared 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 2025, Lily was ranked #2 and Nicola #4201 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Lily was ranked #4 and Nicola #790 among girls in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Lily was ranked #6 and Nicola #898 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2020, Lily was ranked #15 and Nicola #397 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1998, Lily was ranked #56 and Nicola #93 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2011, Lily was ranked #4647 and Nicola #3300 among boys in England and Wales.

Lily and Nicola over time

Lily and Nicola appear together in 3 published lists, across 82 years of shared records. Lily held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Nicola in 0.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Nicola 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.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls33 shared years, 1981–2024

    Lily held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Nicola in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Lily #5 in 2011, Nicola #21 in 1988.

    The order changed in 2001: Lily moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #120 and #84; by 2001 that had become #91 and #109.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Lily #6, Nicola #898.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Lily held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Nicola in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Lily #2 in 2025, Nicola #87 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Lily #2, Nicola #4201.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 1999–2020

    Lily held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Nicola in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Lily #5 in 2011, Nicola #92 in 2000.

    The order changed in 2002: Lily moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #176 and #146; by 2002 that had become #162 and #188.

    Most recent shared year, 2020: Lily #15, Nicola #397.

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 Lily

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

Other comparisons involving Nicola

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

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

Pairs measured inside England and Wales's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

England and Wales overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Lily, Nicola
FieldLilyNicola
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningFrom the English word for the lily flower.The feminine form of Nicholas, from the Greek elements 'nike' (victory) and 'laos' (people).
OriginEnglish (flower name)Greek, feminine form
Pronunciation/ˈlɪli//ˈnɪk.ə.lə/
Syllables23
Common variants / nicknamesLil, Lilah, Lillie, Lilly, LilianNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #1 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #4201 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Lily is recorded with a English (flower name) origin, while Nicola is recorded with a Greek, feminine form origin.
  • Lily has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Nicola.
  • Lily's recorded meaning differs from Nicola's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Lily a "high" Data Confidence level and Nicola 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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1981–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025 (recorded 1981–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Nicola

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1957

    First recorded at #97 among girls in New Zealand in 1957 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New Zealand · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1957–1996

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New Zealand, in 1975 (recorded 1957–1996).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #4201 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls