Lucy vs Molly
Lucy and Mollycompared 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 Molly #20 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Lucy was ranked #21 and Molly #69 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Lucy was ranked #38 and Molly #28 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Lucy was ranked #28 and Molly #68 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2021, Lucy was ranked #30 and Molly #100 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Lucy was ranked #123 and Molly #104 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Lucy was ranked #296 and Molly #217 among girls in Norway.
Lucy and Molly over time
Lucy and Molly appear together in 6 published lists, across 161 years of shared records. Lucy held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Molly in 1.
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.
Molly reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Lucy 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 2018, Molly moved ahead of Lucy in England and Wales · Girls — #49 and #58 the year before became #61 and #58.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Lucy and Molly changed places 5 times in Norway · Girls between 2004 and 2025, ending at #296 and #217.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Lucy and Molly averaged 13.2 places apart, ending at #123 and #104.
- Longest-running competitions
Lucy and Molly were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 36 years, from 1989 to 2025, ending at #16 and #20.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Lucy #7 in 2003, Molly #15 in 2001.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls36 shared years, 1989–2025
Lucy held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Molly in 2.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #3 in 2016, Molly #18 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lucy #16, Molly #20.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Lucy held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Molly in 7.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #7 in 2003, Molly #15 in 2001.
The order changed in 2018: Molly moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #49 and #58; by 2018 that had become #61 and #58.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lucy #123, Molly #104.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Lucy held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Molly in 2.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #4 in 2007, Molly #18 in 2007.
The order changed in 2023: Molly moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #23 and #27; by 2023 that had become #39 and #27.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lucy #38, Molly #28.
New Zealand · Girls24 shared years, 1997–2023
Lucy held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Molly in 0.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #12 in 2006, Molly #31 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Lucy #21, Molly #69.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls23 shared years, 1996–2021
Lucy held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Molly in 0.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #20 in 2012, Molly #32 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Lucy #30, Molly #100.
Norway · Girls21 shared years, 2004–2025
Lucy held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Molly in 18.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #212 in 2018, Molly #167 in 2011.
The order changed in 2021: Molly moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #236 and #254; by 2021 that had become #279 and #199.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lucy #296, Molly #217.
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 | Molly |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The English form of Lucia, from Latin 'lux' meaning 'light'. In use since the Middle Ages. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Latin | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈluː.si/ | |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #20 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| 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 has a recorded origin (Latin); Molly does not have one recorded yet.
- Lucy and Molly both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Lucy; Molly doesn't have one written yet.
- 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
Molly
Popularity journey
First recorded1989
First recorded at #408 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1989 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #15 among girls in England and Wales, in 2001 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #217 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls