Lucy vs Stephanie
Lucy and Stephaniecompared 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 2005, Lucy was ranked #13 and Stephanie #99 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Lucy was ranked #16 and Stephanie #294 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2010, Lucy was ranked #21 and Stephanie #73 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Lucy was ranked #28 and Stephanie #541 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Lucy was ranked #39 and Stephanie #391 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Lucy was ranked #143 and Stephanie #719 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2018, Lucy was ranked #212 and Stephanie #527 among girls in Norway.
Lucy and Stephanie over time
Lucy and Stephanie appear together in 6 published lists, across 175 years of shared records. Stephanie 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.
Stephanie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Lucy 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 moved ahead of the other
In 2001, Lucy moved ahead of Stephanie in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #35 and #27 the year before became #24 and #36.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 26 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Lucy and Stephanie averaged 37.8 places apart, ending at #21 and #73.
- Mirrored each other
Over 21 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Lucy rose about as far as Stephanie fell — from #100 and #58 in 1979 to #13 and #99 in 2005.
- Longest-running competitions
Lucy and Stephanie were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #143 and #719.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Lucy held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Stephanie in 33.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #3 in 2016, Stephanie #23 in 1990.
The order changed in 1998: Lucy moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #63 and #58; by 1998 that had become #46 and #69.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lucy #16, Stephanie #294.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Lucy held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Stephanie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #7 in 2003, Stephanie #48 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lucy #143, Stephanie #719.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls26 shared years, 1985–2010
Lucy held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Stephanie in 16.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #21 in 2010, Stephanie #5 in 1994.
The order changed in 2001: Lucy moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #35 and #27; by 2001 that had become #24 and #36.
Most recent shared year, 2010: Lucy #21, Stephanie #73.
Northern Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 1997–2023
Lucy held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Stephanie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #4 in 2007, Stephanie #50 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Lucy #39, Stephanie #391.
New Zealand · Girls21 shared years, 1979–2005
Lucy held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Stephanie in 16.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #13 in 2005, Stephanie #11 in 1991.
The order changed in 1997: Lucy moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #32 and #22; by 1997 that had become #31 and #43.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Lucy #13, Stephanie #99.
Norway · Girls14 shared years, 1977–2018
Lucy held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Stephanie in 11.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #212 in 2018, Stephanie #204 in 1986.
The order changed in 2017: Lucy moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #494 and #439; by 2017 that had become #319 and #549.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Lucy #212, Stephanie #527.
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 | Stephanie |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | The feminine form of Stephen, from Greek Stephanos meaning 'crown, wreath'. |
| Origin | Latin | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈluː.si/ | /ˈstɛf.ə.ni/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| 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 #294 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 65/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 70/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Lucy is recorded with a Latin origin, while Stephanie is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Lucy has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Stephanie.
- Lucy's recorded meaning differs from Stephanie'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 #143 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Stephanie
Popularity journey
First recorded1953
First recorded at #97 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1953–2010
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1994 (recorded 1953–2010).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #719 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls