Lucy vs Ruby
Lucy and Rubycompared 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 Ruby #36 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Lucy was ranked #21 and Ruby #17 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Lucy was ranked #32 and Ruby #28 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Lucy was ranked #28 and Ruby #34 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Lucy was ranked #38 and Ruby #38 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Lucy was ranked #123 and Ruby #41 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Lucy was ranked #296 and Ruby #450 among girls in Norway.
Lucy and Ruby over time
Lucy and Ruby appear together in 5 published lists, across 151 years of shared records. Lucy held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Ruby in 2.
The order between them changed and held in one 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 3 of those lists, Ruby 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 2006, Ruby moved ahead of Lucy in England and Wales · Girls — #8 and #12 the year before became #8 and #4.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Lucy and Ruby changed places 7 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1992 and 2023, ending at #21 and #17.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Lucy and Ruby averaged 39.6 places apart, ending at #123 and #41.
- Mirrored each other
Over 27 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Ruby rose about as far as Lucy fell — from #22 and #301 in 1998 to #38 and #38 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
Lucy and Ruby were both ranked in New Zealand · Girls for 32 years, from 1992 to 2023, ending at #21 and #17.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Lucy #20 in 2012, Ruby #2 in 2011.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls34 shared years, 1991–2025
Lucy held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Ruby in 0.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #3 in 2016, Ruby #16 in 2013.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lucy #16, Ruby #36.
New Zealand · Girls32 shared years, 1992–2023
Lucy held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Ruby in 14.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #12 in 2006, Ruby #1 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Lucy #21, Ruby #17.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Lucy held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Ruby in 19.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #7 in 2003, Ruby #1 in 2007.
The order changed in 2006: Ruby moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #8 and #12; by 2006 that had become #8 and #4.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lucy #123, Ruby #41.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls29 shared years, 1997–2025
Lucy held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Ruby in 24.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #20 in 2012, Ruby #2 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lucy #32, Ruby #28.
Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1998–2024
Lucy held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Ruby in 2.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #4 in 2007, Ruby #18 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lucy #38, Ruby #38.
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 | Ruby |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Taken from the gemstone name; the ruby is the traditional July birthstone. As a given name it came into use in the 16th century. |
| Origin | Latin | English, ultimately from Latin rubeus ('red') |
| Pronunciation | /ˈluː.si/ | /ˈruːbi/ |
| 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) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #28 (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 Ruby is recorded with a English, ultimately from Latin rubeus ('red') origin.
- Lucy and Ruby both have 2 syllables.
- Lucy's recorded meaning differs from Ruby'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
Ruby
Popularity journey
First recorded1991
First recorded at #515 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1991 — 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: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2007 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #28 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls