Namewise

Lily vs Zoe

Lily and Zoecompared 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 Zoe #46 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Lily was ranked #2 and Zoe #104 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Lily was ranked #4 and Zoe #76 among girls in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Lily was ranked #6 and Zoe #105 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2023, Lily was ranked #7 and Zoe #24 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2025, Lily was ranked #9 and Zoe #19 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Lily was ranked #123 and Zoe #313 among girls in Norway.

Lily and Zoe over time

Lily and Zoe appear together in 6 published lists, across 172 years of shared records. Lily held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Zoe in 1.

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.

Zoe 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 2001, Lily moved ahead of Zoe in England and Wales · Girls — #45 and #41 the year before became #35 and #43.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Lily and Zoe changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1997 and 2023, ending at #7 and #24.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 29 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Lily and Zoe averaged 9.7 places apart, ending at #9 and #19.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Lily and Zoe were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #2 and #104.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls36 shared years, 1981–2025

    Lily held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Zoe in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Lily #1 in 2025, Zoe #26 in 2016.

    The order changed in 2006: Lily moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #52 and #43; by 2006 that had become #42 and #47.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Lily #1, Zoe #46.

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

    Lily held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Zoe in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Lily #2 in 2025, Zoe #31 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2001: Lily moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #45 and #41; by 2001 that had become #35 and #43.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Lily #2, Zoe #104.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls29 shared years, 1997–2025

    Lily held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Zoe in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Lily #7 in 2010, Zoe #8 in 2015.

    The order changed in 2021: Lily moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #19 and #10; by 2021 that had become #15 and #16.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Lily #9, Zoe #19.

  • New Zealand · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2023

    Lily held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Zoe in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Lily #5 in 2022, Zoe #11 in 2010.

    The order changed in 2020: Lily moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #19 and #16; by 2020 that had become #8 and #21.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Lily #7, Zoe #24.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1999–2024

    Lily held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Zoe in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Lily #5 in 2011, Zoe #32 in 2002.

    The order changed in 2007: Lily moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #52 and #43; by 2007 that had become #34 and #45.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Lily #6, Zoe #105.

  • Norway · Girls24 shared years, 1994–2025

    Lily held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Zoe in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Lily #90 in 2024, Zoe #211 in 2020.

    The order changed in 2006: Lily moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #555 and #478; by 2006 that had become #290 and #541.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Lily #123, Zoe #313.

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 Zoe

Pairs where Zoe 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 — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

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

New South Wales, Australia 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, Zoe
FieldLilyZoe
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningFrom the English word for the lily flower.Means 'life' in Greek.
OriginEnglish (flower name)Ancient Greek
Pronunciation/ˈlɪli//ˈzoʊi/
Syllables21
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, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #1 (2025)New South Wales, Australia · Girls #19 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Lily is recorded with a English (flower name) origin, while Zoe is recorded with a Ancient Greek origin.
  • Lily has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Zoe.
  • Lily's recorded meaning differs from Zoe'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 Zoe 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

Zoe

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1968

    First recorded at #401 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1968 — 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: #8 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2015 (recorded 1981–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #104 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls