Lucy vs Olivia
Lucy and Oliviacompared 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.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Lucy was ranked #123 and Olivia #1 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Lucy was ranked #28 and Olivia #1 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Lucy was ranked #38 and Olivia #2 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Lucy was ranked #296 and Olivia #2 among girls in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Lucy was ranked #32 and Olivia #3 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Lucy was ranked #21 and Olivia #4 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Lucy was ranked #16 and Olivia #8 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Lucy and Olivia over time
Lucy and Olivia appear together in 6 published lists, across 226 years of shared records. Olivia held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Lucy in 2.
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 5 of those lists, Olivia 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 2004, Olivia moved ahead of Lucy in England and Wales · Girls — #7 and #8 the year before became #7 and #6.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Lucy and Olivia changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #123 and #1.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Lucy and Olivia averaged 31.8 places apart, ending at #123 and #1.
- Longest-running competitions
Lucy and Olivia were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 37 years, from 1988 to 2025, ending at #32 and #3.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Lucy #20 in 2012, Olivia #1 in 2014.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Lucy held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Olivia in 28.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #3 in 2016, Olivia #4 in 1975.
The order changed in 2024: Olivia moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #14 and #17; by 2024 that had become #11 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lucy #16, Olivia #8.
New Zealand · Girls43 shared years, 1979–2023
Lucy held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Olivia in 43.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #12 in 2006, Olivia #1 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Lucy #21, Olivia #4.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls37 shared years, 1988–2025
Lucy held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Olivia in 36.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #20 in 2012, Olivia #1 in 2014.
The order changed in 1990: Olivia moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #76 and #87; by 1990 that had become #46 and #43.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lucy #32, Olivia #3.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Lucy held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Olivia in 24.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #7 in 2003, Olivia #1 in 2008.
The order changed in 2004: Olivia moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #7 and #8; by 2004 that had become #7 and #6.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lucy #123, Olivia #1.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Lucy held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Olivia in 13.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #4 in 2007, Olivia #2 in 2024.
The order changed in 2014: Olivia moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #6 and #15; by 2014 that had become #8 and #6.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lucy #38, Olivia #2.
Norway · Girls27 shared years, 1964–2025
Lucy held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Olivia in 27.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #212 in 2018, Olivia #2 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lucy #296, Olivia #2.
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 | Olivia |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Commonly interpreted as 'olive tree' or 'symbol of peace'. |
| Origin | Latin | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈluː.si/ | /əˈlɪviə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Olivea, Liv, Livvy, Oliwia |
| 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 #2 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Both Lucy and Olivia share a recorded Latin origin.
- Lucy has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Olivia.
- Lucy's recorded meaning differs from Olivia's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Lucy a "medium" Data Confidence level and Olivia a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
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
Olivia
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #488 among girls in Norway in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2008 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #3 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls