Namewise

Lucy vs Mila

Lucy and Milacompared 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 Zealand · Girls

    In 2023, Lucy was ranked #21 and Mila #11 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Lucy was ranked #16 and Mila #80 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2025, Lucy was ranked #32 and Mila #21 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Lucy was ranked #28 and Mila #30 among girls in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Lucy was ranked #38 and Mila #150 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Lucy was ranked #123 and Mila #46 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Lucy was ranked #296 and Mila #102 among girls in Norway.

Lucy and Mila over time

Lucy and Mila appear together in 6 published lists, across 116 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Lucy reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Mila 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 England and Wales · Girls, Mila moved into the top 50 at #49 in 2018 as Lucy fell out of it to #61, having been #49 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2018, Mila moved ahead of Lucy in England and Wales · Girls — #49 and #74 the year before became #61 and #49.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Girls within 2 years — Lucy #212 in 2018, Mila #82 in 2019.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Lucy held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Mila in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Lucy #7 in 2003, Mila #35 in 2023.

    The order changed in 2018: Mila moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #49 and #74; by 2018 that had become #61 and #49.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Lucy #123, Mila #46.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 2002–2025

    Lucy held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Mila in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Lucy #3 in 2016, Mila #58 in 2022.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Lucy #16, Mila #80.

  • Norway · Girls21 shared years, 1993–2025

    Lucy held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Mila in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Lucy #212 in 2018, Mila #82 in 2019.

    The order changed in 2010: Mila moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #457 and #491; by 2010 that had become #494 and #433.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Lucy #296, Mila #102.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls15 shared years, 2011–2025

    Lucy held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Mila in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Lucy #20 in 2012, Mila #18 in 2022.

    The order changed in 2019: Mila moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #25 and #27; by 2019 that had become #29 and #25.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Lucy #32, Mila #21.

  • New Zealand · Girls14 shared years, 2010–2023

    Lucy held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Mila in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Lucy #13 in 2017, Mila #4 in 2022.

    The order changed in 2016: Mila moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #16 and #18; by 2016 that had become #17 and #15.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Lucy #21, Mila #11.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls14 shared years, 2011–2024

    Lucy held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Mila in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Lucy #6 in 2011, Mila #72 in 2018.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Lucy #38, Mila #150.

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 Lucy

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

Other comparisons involving Mila

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

  • Mila vs Aurora

    Mila and Aurora both rose over the same years in 5 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; New South Wales, Australia · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Norway · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Mila · Aurora · 33 shared years, 1982–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Mila vs Daisy

    Mila and Daisy both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; New South Wales, Australia · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Mila · Daisy · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Mila vs Elsie

    Mila and Elsie both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; New South Wales, Australia · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Mila · Elsie · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Freya vs Mila

    Freya and Mila both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; New South Wales, Australia · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Freya · Mila · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Moved together in several countries

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — close in one country, far apart in another.

All close in one country, far apart in another→

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 Lucy, Mila
FieldLucyMila
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningThe English form of Lucia, from Latin 'lux' meaning 'light'. In use since the Middle Ages.Commonly interpreted as 'gracious, dear', from the Slavic element milu. Originally used as a short form of longer names containing that element before becoming an independent given name.
OriginLatinSlavic
Pronunciation/ˈluː.si//ˈmi.ɫa/
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 observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #16 (2025)New South Wales, Australia · Girls #21 (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

  • Lucy is recorded with a Latin origin, while Mila is recorded with a Slavic origin.
  • Lucy and Mila both have 2 syllables.
  • Lucy's recorded meaning differs from Mila'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

  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 #32 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

Mila

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1981

    First recorded at #653 among girls in Norway in 1981 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded2010–2023

    Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in New Zealand, in 2022 (recorded 2010–2023).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #21 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls