Molly vs Nessa
Molly and Nessacompared 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, Molly was ranked #20 and Nessa #239 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Molly was ranked #28 and Nessa #337 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Molly was ranked #104 and Nessa #3695 among girls in England and Wales.
Molly and Nessa over time
Molly and Nessa appear together in 2 published lists, across 48 years of shared records. Molly held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Nessa in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.
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.
- Longest-running competitions
Molly and Nessa were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 36 years, from 1989 to 2025, ending at #20 and #239.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls36 shared years, 1989–2025
Molly held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Nessa in 0.
Highest recorded here: Molly #18 in 2019, Nessa #188 in 2014.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Molly #20, Nessa #239.
England and Wales · Girls12 shared years, 2007–2024
Molly held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Nessa in 0.
Highest recorded here: Molly #30 in 2007, Nessa #2163 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Molly #104, Nessa #3695.
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 | Molly | Nessa |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | |
| 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 | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #20 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #239 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Molly and Nessa both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
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
Nessa
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #300 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #127 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1975 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #239 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls