Namewise

Lisa vs Lucy

Lisa and Lucycompared 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.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2019, Lisa was ranked #336 and Lucy #14 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Lisa was ranked #443 and Lucy #16 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Lisa was ranked #790 and Lucy #28 among girls in Scotland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1997, Lisa was ranked #85 and Lucy #31 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1997, Lisa was ranked #100 and Lucy #51 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Lisa was ranked #661 and Lucy #143 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Lisa was ranked #174 and Lucy #296 among girls in Norway.

Lisa and Lucy over time

Lisa and Lucy appear together in 6 published lists, across 173 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Lisa reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Lucy 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 New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Lucy moved into the top 50 at #40 in 1993 as Lisa fell out of it to #59, having been #35 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1993, Lucy moved ahead of Lisa in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #35 and #40 the year before became #59 and #40.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Lucy rose about as far as Lisa fell — from #222 and #154 in 1964 to #443 and #16 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Lisa and Lucy were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #661 and #143.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Lisa held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Lucy in 32.

    Highest recorded here: Lisa #3 in 1984, Lucy #3 in 2016.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Lisa #443, Lucy #16.

  • Norway · Girls34 shared years, 1964–2025

    Lisa held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Lucy in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Lisa #40 in 1995, Lucy #212 in 2018.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Lisa #174, Lucy #296.

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

    Lisa held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lucy in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Lisa #105 in 1996, Lucy #7 in 2003.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Lisa #661, Lucy #143.

  • New Zealand · Girls17 shared years, 1979–1997

    Lisa held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Lucy in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Lisa #4 in 1979, Lucy #31 in 1997.

    The order changed in 1994: Lucy moved ahead. In 1993 they stood at #48 and #55; by 1994 that had become #74 and #46.

    Most recent shared year, 1997: Lisa #85, Lucy #31.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls17 shared years, 1997–2019

    Lisa held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lucy in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Lisa #63 in 1997, Lucy #4 in 2007.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Lisa #336, Lucy #14.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls13 shared years, 1985–1997

    Lisa held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Lucy in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Lisa #10 in 1985, Lucy #40 in 1992.

    The order changed in 1993: Lucy moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #35 and #40; by 1993 that had become #59 and #40.

    Most recent shared year, 1997: Lisa #100, Lucy #51.

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 Lisa

Pairs where Lisa shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Lucy

Pairs where Lucy 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 — mirrored each other.

All mirrored each other→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland 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 Lisa, Lucy
FieldLisaLucy
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningA short form of Elizabeth, often used independently — notably the name of the subject of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa.The English form of Lucia, from Latin 'lux' meaning 'light'. In use since the Middle Ages.
OriginHebrew, short form of ElizabethLatin
Pronunciation/ˈliː.sə//ˈluː.si/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot 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 observationNorway · Girls #174 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #16 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Lisa is recorded with a Hebrew, short form of Elizabeth origin, while Lucy is recorded with a Latin origin.
  • Lisa and Lucy both have 2 syllables.
  • Lisa's recorded meaning differs from Lucy's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Lisa

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #330 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1962–1997

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 1968 (recorded 1962–1997).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #661 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Lucy

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #523 among girls in Norway in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2016 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #143 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls