Lily vs Ruby
Lily and Rubycompared 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 Ruby #36 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Lily was ranked #3 and Ruby #41 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Lily was ranked #4 and Ruby #34 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Lily was ranked #6 and Ruby #38 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Lily was ranked #7 and Ruby #17 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Lily was ranked #9 and Ruby #28 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Lily was ranked #123 and Ruby #450 among girls in Norway.
Lily and Ruby over time
Lily and Ruby appear together in 5 published lists, across 145 years of shared records. Lily held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Ruby in 1.
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.
Ruby reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Lily in 1. 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 2020, Lily moved ahead of Ruby in New Zealand · Girls — #19 and #5 the year before became #8 and #18.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Lily and Ruby changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #3 and #41.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Lily and Ruby averaged 19.0 places apart, ending at #3 and #41.
- Longest-running competitions
Lily and Ruby were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 34 years, from 1991 to 2025, ending at #1 and #36.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Lily #7 in 2010, Ruby #2 in 2011.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls34 shared years, 1991–2025
Lily held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Ruby in 6.
Highest recorded here: Lily #1 in 2025, Ruby #16 in 2013.
The order changed in 2014: Lily moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #17 and #16; by 2014 that had become #11 and #22.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lily #1, Ruby #36.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Lily held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Ruby in 6.
Highest recorded here: Lily #3 in 2011, Ruby #1 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lily #3, Ruby #41.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls29 shared years, 1997–2025
Lily held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Ruby in 11.
Highest recorded here: Lily #7 in 2010, Ruby #2 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lily #9, Ruby #28.
New Zealand · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2023
Lily held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Ruby in 17.
Highest recorded here: Lily #5 in 2022, Ruby #1 in 2011.
The order changed in 2020: Lily moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #19 and #5; by 2020 that had become #8 and #18.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Lily #7, Ruby #17.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1999–2024
Lily held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Ruby in 7.
Highest recorded here: Lily #5 in 2011, Ruby #18 in 2011.
The order changed in 2010: Lily moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #28 and #22; by 2010 that had become #15 and #30.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lily #6, Ruby #38.
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 | Ruby |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | From the English word for the lily flower. | Taken from the gemstone name; the ruby is the traditional July birthstone. As a given name it came into use in the 16th century. |
| Origin | English (flower name) | English, ultimately from Latin rubeus ('red') |
| Pronunciation | /ˈlɪli/ | /ˈruːbi/ |
| 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, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #1 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #28 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| 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 is recorded with a English (flower name) origin, while Ruby is recorded with a English, ultimately from Latin rubeus ('red') origin.
- Lily and Ruby both have 2 syllables.
- Lily's recorded meaning differs from Ruby's — see the table above for each.
- 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 Ruby 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
Ruby
Popularity journey
First recorded1991
First recorded at #515 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1991 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2007 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #28 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls