Molly vs Philippa
Molly and Philippacompared 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 Philippa #544 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2018, Molly was ranked #34 and Philippa #434 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Molly was ranked #68 and Philippa #541 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Molly was ranked #104 and Philippa #377 among girls in England and Wales.
Molly and Philippa over time
Molly and Philippa appear together in 3 published lists, across 68 years of shared records. Molly held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Philippa in 0.
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.
Philippa reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Molly 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.
- Mirrored each other
Over 29 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Molly rose about as far as Philippa fell — from #408 and #300 in 1989 to #20 and #544 in 2025.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Molly held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Philippa in 0.
Highest recorded here: Molly #15 in 2001, Philippa #150 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Molly #104, Philippa #377.
Republic of Ireland · Girls29 shared years, 1989–2025
Molly held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Philippa in 1.
Highest recorded here: Molly #18 in 2019, Philippa #300 in 1989.
The order changed in 1991: Molly moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #408 and #300; by 1991 that had become #273 and #365.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Molly #20, Philippa #544.
Northern Ireland · Girls10 shared years, 1999–2018
Molly held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Philippa in 0.
Highest recorded here: Molly #23 in 2008, Philippa #248 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Molly #34, Philippa #434.
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 | Philippa |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | ||
| 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 | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #20 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #544 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Molly has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Philippa.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
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
Philippa
Popularity journey
First recorded1956
First recorded at #86 among girls in New Zealand in 1956 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Girls
Highest recorded1956–1986
Highest recorded position: #69 among girls in New Zealand, in 1978 (recorded 1956–1986).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #544 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls