Lily vs Robyn
Lily and Robyncompared 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 Robyn #19 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Lily was ranked #3 and Robyn #78 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Lily was ranked #4 and Robyn #48 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Lily was ranked #6 and Robyn #67 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Lily and Robyn over time
Lily and Robyn appear together in 3 published lists, across 90 years of shared records. Lily held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Robyn in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Lily reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Robyn 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 took the other's place near the top
In Republic of Ireland · Girls, Lily moved into the top 50 at #42 in 2006 as Robyn fell out of it to #62, having been #50 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1997, Lily moved ahead of Robyn in England and Wales · Girls — #85 and #80 the year before became #75 and #90.
- Longest-running competitions
Lily and Robyn were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 35 years, from 1988 to 2025, ending at #1 and #19.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Lily #1 in 2025, Robyn #19 in 2025.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls35 shared years, 1988–2025
Lily held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Robyn in 15.
Highest recorded here: Lily #1 in 2025, Robyn #19 in 2025.
The order changed in 2006: Lily moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #52 and #50; by 2006 that had become #42 and #62.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lily #1, Robyn #19.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Lily held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Robyn in 1.
Highest recorded here: Lily #3 in 2011, Robyn #64 in 2023.
The order changed in 1997: Lily moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #85 and #80; by 1997 that had become #75 and #90.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lily #3, Robyn #78.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1999–2024
Lily held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Robyn in 5.
Highest recorded here: Lily #5 in 2011, Robyn #57 in 2019.
The order changed in 2006: Lily moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #114 and #99; by 2006 that had become #52 and #121.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lily #6, Robyn #67.
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 | Robyn |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | From the English word for the lily flower. | A feminine variant of Robin, itself a diminutive of Robert. |
| Origin | English (flower name) | Germanic, feminine diminutive form |
| Pronunciation | /ˈlɪli/ | /ˈɹɑb.ɪn/ |
| 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #1 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #19 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| 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 is recorded with a English (flower name) origin, while Robyn is recorded with a Germanic, feminine diminutive form origin.
- Lily and Robyn both have 2 syllables.
- Lily's recorded meaning differs from Robyn'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 Robyn 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
Robyn
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #7 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1974
Highest recorded position: #6 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1953 (recorded 1952–1974).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #19 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls