Namewise

Molly vs Tara

Molly and Taracompared 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 Tara #166 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2023, Molly was ranked #27 and Tara #178 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2007, Molly was ranked #55 and Tara #99 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Molly was ranked #68 and Tara #384 among girls in Scotland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1999, Molly was ranked #75 and Tara #99 among girls in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Molly was ranked #120 and Tara #444 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Molly was ranked #217 and Tara #300 among girls in Norway.

Molly and Tara over time

Molly and Tara appear together in 5 published lists, across 127 years of shared records. Molly held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Tara in 0.

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.

Tara reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 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.

  • One took the other's place near the top

    In Northern Ireland · Girls, Molly moved into the top 50 at #27 in 2001 as Tara fell out of it to #52, having been #45 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2004, Molly moved ahead of Tara in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #54 and #51 the year before became #35 and #62.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Molly and Tara changed places 5 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1996 and 2007, ending at #55 and #99.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Molly and Tara were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #120 and #444.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls36 shared years, 1989–2025

    Molly held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Tara in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Molly #18 in 2019, Tara #29 in 1999.

    The order changed in 2003: Molly moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #33 and #32; by 2003 that had become #37 and #40.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Molly #20, Tara #166.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Molly held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Tara in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Molly #15 in 2001, Tara #110 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Molly #120, Tara #444.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2023

    Molly held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Tara in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Molly #18 in 2007, Tara #45 in 2000.

    The order changed in 2001: Molly moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #47 and #45; by 2001 that had become #27 and #52.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Molly #27, Tara #178.

  • Norway · Girls22 shared years, 2003–2025

    Molly held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Tara in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Molly #167 in 2011, Tara #219 in 2006.

    The order changed in 2009: Molly moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #346 and #283; by 2009 that had become #215 and #360.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Molly #217, Tara #300.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls12 shared years, 1996–2007

    Molly held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Tara in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Molly #32 in 2005, Tara #51 in 2001.

    The order changed in 2004: Molly moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #54 and #51; by 2004 that had become #35 and #62.

    Most recent shared year, 2007: Molly #55, Tara #99.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Molly

Pairs where Molly shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Tara

Pairs where Tara shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Northern Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Northern Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Molly, Tara
FieldMollyTara
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #20 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #166 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Molly and Tara both have 2 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Molly

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #15 among girls in England and Wales, in 2001 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #120 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Tara

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #327 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

  2. Highest recorded1983–2007

    Highest recorded position: #20 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1985 (recorded 1983–2007).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #444 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls