Lucy vs Maria
Lucy and Mariacompared 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, Lucy was ranked #16 and Maria #74 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2016, Lucy was ranked #17 and Maria #78 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Lucy was ranked #28 and Maria #120 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Lucy was ranked #38 and Maria #97 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Lucy was ranked #296 and Maria #62 among girls in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1985, Lucy was ranked #89 and Maria #95 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Lucy was ranked #123 and Maria #91 among girls in England and Wales.
Lucy and Maria over time
Lucy and Maria appear together in 5 published lists, across 182 years of shared records. Lucy held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Maria in 2.
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.
Maria reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Lucy in 2. 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 2021, Maria moved ahead of Lucy in England and Wales · Girls — #69 and #70 the year before became #85 and #75.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Lucy and Maria averaged 44.8 places apart, ending at #17 and #78.
- Mirrored each other
Over 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Lucy rose about as far as Maria fell — from #154 and #33 in 1964 to #16 and #74 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Lucy and Maria were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 34 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #296 and #62.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Lucy #4 in 2007, Maria #49 in 2009.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Lucy held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Maria in 34.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #3 in 2016, Maria #23 in 1967.
The order changed in 1998: Lucy moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #63 and #52; by 1998 that had become #46 and #73.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lucy #16, Maria #74.
Norway · Girls34 shared years, 1964–2025
Lucy held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Maria in 34.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #212 in 2018, Maria #3 in 1993.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lucy #296, Maria #62.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Lucy held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Maria in 4.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #7 in 2003, Maria #66 in 2018.
The order changed in 2021: Maria moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #69 and #70; by 2021 that had become #85 and #75.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lucy #123, Maria #91.
New Zealand · Girls29 shared years, 1979–2016
Lucy held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Maria in 3.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #12 in 2006, Maria #59 in 1985.
The order changed in 1986: Lucy moved ahead. In 1985 they stood at #60 and #59; by 1986 that had become #56 and #67.
Most recent shared year, 2016: Lucy #17, Maria #78.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Lucy held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Maria in 0.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #4 in 2007, Maria #49 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lucy #38, Maria #97.
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 | Lucy | Maria |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The English form of Lucia, from Latin 'lux' meaning 'light'. In use since the Middle Ages. | The Latin form of Greek Maria, from Hebrew Miryam (see Mary). |
| Origin | Latin | Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈluː.si/ | /mɑ.ˈriː.ɑ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | 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 #16 (2025) | Norway · Girls #62 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Lucy is recorded with a Latin origin, while Maria is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission origin.
- Lucy and Maria both have 2 syllables.
- Lucy's recorded meaning differs from Maria'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
Lucy
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2016 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #32 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Maria
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #126 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Norway, in 1982 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #62 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls