Lily vs Sophie
Lily and Sophiecompared 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 Sophie #6 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Lily was ranked #2 and Sophie #63 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Lily was ranked #4 and Sophie #17 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Lily was ranked #6 and Sophie #14 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Lily was ranked #7 and Sophie #14 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Lily was ranked #9 and Sophie #22 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Lily was ranked #123 and Sophie #178 among girls in Norway.
Lily and Sophie over time
Lily and Sophie appear together in 6 published lists, across 174 years of shared records. Sophie held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Lily in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 6 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Sophie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2016, Lily moved ahead of Sophie in England and Wales · Girls — #13 and #11 the year before became #7 and #14.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Lily and Sophie changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2025, ending at #2 and #63.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Lily and Sophie averaged 22.7 places apart, ending at #2 and #63.
- Mirrored each other
Over 27 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Lily rose about as far as Sophie fell — from #84 and #7 in 1997 to #7 and #14 in 2023.
- Longest-running competitions
Lily and Sophie were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #2 and #63.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Lily #5 in 2011, Sophie #1 in 2010.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls36 shared years, 1981–2025
Lily held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Sophie in 35.
Highest recorded here: Lily #1 in 2025, Sophie #1 in 2009.
The order changed in 2025: Lily moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #6 and #1; by 2025 that had become #1 and #6.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lily #1, Sophie #6.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Lily held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Sophie in 17.
Highest recorded here: Lily #2 in 2025, Sophie #1 in 1996.
The order changed in 2016: Lily moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #13 and #11; by 2016 that had become #7 and #14.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lily #2, Sophie #63.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls29 shared years, 1997–2025
Lily held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Sophie in 23.
Highest recorded here: Lily #7 in 2010, Sophie #5 in 2004.
The order changed in 2021: Lily moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #19 and #15; by 2021 that had become #15 and #20.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lily #9, Sophie #22.
New Zealand · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2023
Lily held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Sophie in 23.
Highest recorded here: Lily #5 in 2022, Sophie #1 in 2008.
The order changed in 2020: Lily moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #19 and #6; by 2020 that had become #8 and #9.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Lily #7, Sophie #14.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1999–2024
Lily held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Sophie in 23.
Highest recorded here: Lily #5 in 2011, Sophie #1 in 2010.
The order changed in 2022: Lily moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #14 and #6; by 2022 that had become #7 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lily #6, Sophie #14.
Norway · Girls26 shared years, 1994–2025
Lily held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Sophie in 19.
Highest recorded here: Lily #90 in 2024, Sophie #106 in 2016.
The order changed in 2023: Lily moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #142 and #138; by 2023 that had become #106 and #139.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lily #123, Sophie #178.
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 | Sophie |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | From the English word for the lily flower. | The French form of Sophia, from Ancient Greek 'sophia' meaning 'wisdom'. |
| Origin | English (flower name) | Greek, via French transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈlɪli/ | /sɔ.fi/ |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #6 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| 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 Sophie is recorded with a Greek, via French transmission origin.
- Lily and Sophie both have 2 syllables.
- Lily's recorded meaning differs from Sophie'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 Sophie 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
Sophie
Popularity journey
First recorded1960
First recorded at #492 among girls in Norway in 1960 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 1996 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #63 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls