Lucy vs Mia
Lucy and Miacompared 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.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Lucy was ranked #32 and Mia #5 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Lucy was ranked #16 and Mia #11 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Lucy was ranked #21 and Mia #13 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Lucy was ranked #123 and Mia #14 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Lucy was ranked #38 and Mia #20 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Lucy was ranked #296 and Mia #21 among girls in Norway.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Lucy was ranked #28 and Mia #26 among girls in Scotland.
Lucy and Mia over time
Lucy and Mia appear together in 6 published lists, across 179 years of shared records. Mia held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Lucy in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 5 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 3 of the lists they share.
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, Mia moved ahead of Lucy in England and Wales · Girls — #11 and #13 the year before became #14 and #11.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Lucy and Mia changed places 7 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1971 and 2025, ending at #16 and #11.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Lucy and Mia averaged 37.8 places apart, ending at #123 and #14.
- Longest-running competitions
Lucy and Mia were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 34 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #296 and #21.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls36 shared years, 1971–2025
Lucy held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Mia in 8.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #3 in 2016, Mia #6 in 2012.
The order changed in 2022: Mia moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #6 and #7; by 2022 that had become #16 and #8.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lucy #16, Mia #11.
Norway · Girls34 shared years, 1964–2025
Lucy held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Mia in 33.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #212 in 2018, Mia #8 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lucy #296, Mia #21.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Lucy held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Mia in 17.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #7 in 2003, Mia #5 in 2019.
The order changed in 2008: Mia moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #11 and #13; by 2008 that had become #14 and #11.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lucy #123, Mia #14.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls29 shared years, 1997–2025
Lucy held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Mia in 24.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #20 in 2012, Mia #2 in 2008.
The order changed in 2002: Mia moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #24 and #27; by 2002 that had become #31 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lucy #32, Mia #5.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Lucy held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Mia in 2.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #4 in 2007, Mia #14 in 2015.
The order changed in 2023: Mia moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #23 and #29; by 2023 that had become #39 and #22.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lucy #38, Mia #20.
New Zealand · Girls23 shared years, 2001–2023
Lucy held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Mia in 12.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #12 in 2006, Mia #7 in 2017.
The order changed in 2012: Mia moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #17 and #18; by 2012 that had become #18 and #14.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Lucy #21, Mia #13.
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 | Mia |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Directly a diminutive of Maria. |
| Origin | Latin | Scandinavian/Italian, via Maria |
| Pronunciation | /ˈluː.si/ | /ˈmiːə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| 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) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #5 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Lucy is recorded with a Latin origin, while Mia is recorded with a Scandinavian/Italian, via Maria origin.
- Lucy has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Mia.
- Lucy's recorded meaning differs from Mia'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
Mia
Popularity journey
First recorded1947
First recorded at #357 among girls in Norway in 1947 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2008 (recorded 1997–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #5 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls