List<String> items = Arrays.asList("apple", "apple", "banana", "apple", "orange", "banana", "papaya"); Map<String, Long> result = items.stream().collect( Collectors.groupingBy( Function.identity(), Collectors.counting() ) ); Map<String, Long> finalMap = new LinkedHashMap<>(); //Sort a map and add to finalMap result.entrySet().stream() .sorted(Map.Entry.<String, Long>comparingByValue() .reversed()).forEachOrdered(e -> finalMap.put(e.getKey(), e.getValue())); System.out.println(finalMap);