Lily vs Zara
Lily and Zaracompared 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 Zara #66 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Lily was ranked #2 and Zara #73 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Lily was ranked #4 and Zara #36 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Lily was ranked #6 and Zara #64 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Lily was ranked #7 and Zara #47 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Lily was ranked #9 and Zara #47 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Lily was ranked #123 and Zara #490 among girls in Norway.
Lily and Zara over time
Lily and Zara appear together in 6 published lists, across 164 years of shared records. Lily held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Zara 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.
Zara reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 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 2008, Lily moved ahead of Zara in Northern Ireland · Girls — #34 and #32 the year before became #33 and #40.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Lily and Zara averaged 23.4 places apart, ending at #9 and #47.
- Longest-running competitions
Lily and Zara were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #2 and #73.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls36 shared years, 1981–2025
Lily held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Zara in 11.
Highest recorded here: Lily #1 in 2025, Zara #43 in 2019.
The order changed in 2002: Lily moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #91 and #83; by 2002 that had become #85 and #87.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lily #1, Zara #66.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Lily held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Zara in 0.
Highest recorded here: Lily #2 in 2025, Zara #66 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lily #2, Zara #73.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1999–2024
Lily held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Zara in 9.
Highest recorded here: Lily #5 in 2011, Zara #32 in 2007.
The order changed in 2008: Lily moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #34 and #32; by 2008 that had become #33 and #40.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lily #6, Zara #64.
Norway · Girls25 shared years, 1997–2025
Lily held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Zara in 2.
Highest recorded here: Lily #90 in 2024, Zara #260 in 2019.
The order changed in 2006: Lily moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #555 and #323; by 2006 that had become #290 and #295.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lily #123, Zara #490.
New Zealand · Girls24 shared years, 1999–2023
Lily held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Zara in 0.
Highest recorded here: Lily #5 in 2022, Zara #32 in 2013.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Lily #7, Zara #47.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls23 shared years, 2001–2025
Lily held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Zara in 1.
Highest recorded here: Lily #7 in 2010, Zara #23 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lily #9, Zara #47.
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 | Zara |
|---|---|---|
| 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/ | |
| 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 #47 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| 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 has a recorded origin (English (flower name)); Zara does not have one recorded yet.
- Lily and Zara both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Lily; Zara doesn't have one written yet.
- 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 Zara 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
Zara
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #559 among girls in Norway in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded2001–2025
Highest recorded position: #23 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2016 (recorded 2001–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #73 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls