Aaron vs Steven
Aaron and Stevencompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2000, Aaron was ranked #43 and Steven #84 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1997, Aaron was ranked #46 and Steven #77 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Aaron was ranked #71 and Steven #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Aaron was ranked #114 and Steven #307 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Aaron was ranked #131 and Steven #414 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2017, Aaron was ranked #175 and Steven #487 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Aaron was ranked #180 and Steven #976 among boys in England and Wales.
Aaron and Steven over time
Aaron and Steven appear together in 6 published lists, across 208 years of shared records. Aaron held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Steven in 1.
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.
Steven reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Aaron 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 1985, Aaron moved ahead of Steven in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #24 and #20 the year before became #23 and #27.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Aaron and Steven changed places 5 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1965 and 2025, ending at #71 and #829.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 32 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Aaron and Steven averaged 21.7 places apart, ending at #43 and #84.
- Longest-running competitions
Aaron and Steven were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #180 and #976.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Aaron #31 in 1998, Steven #73 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys59 shared years, 1965–2025
Aaron held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Steven in 19.
Highest recorded here: Aaron #6 in 1998, Steven #57 in 1990.
The order changed in 1987: Aaron moved ahead. In 1986 they stood at #68 and #61; by 1987 that had become #57 and #71.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Aaron #71, Steven #829.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys32 shared years, 1969–2000
Aaron held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Steven in 16.
Highest recorded here: Aaron #18 in 1986, Steven #15 in 1976.
The order changed in 1985: Aaron moved ahead. In 1984 they stood at #24 and #20; by 1985 that had become #23 and #27.
Most recent shared year, 2000: Aaron #43, Steven #84.
New Zealand · Boys32 shared years, 1966–1997
Aaron held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Steven in 6.
Highest recorded here: Aaron #8 in 1972, Steven #15 in 1967.
The order changed in 1985: Aaron moved ahead. In 1984 they stood at #27 and #25; by 1985 that had become #25 and #31.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Aaron #46, Steven #77.
Norway · Boys31 shared years, 1972–2017
Aaron held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Steven in 16.
Highest recorded here: Aaron #162 in 2015, Steven #224 in 1983.
The order changed in 2001: Aaron moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #492 and #392; by 2001 that had become #400 and #433.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Aaron #175, Steven #487.
England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Aaron held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Steven in 0.
Highest recorded here: Aaron #31 in 1998, Steven #73 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Aaron #180, Steven #976.
Northern Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 1997–2022
Aaron held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Steven in 0.
Highest recorded here: Aaron #8 in 2000, Steven #54 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Aaron #131, Steven #414.
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 | Aaron | Steven |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Best known as the name of Moses's elder brother and the first high priest of Israel in the Old Testament; the literal meaning of the name itself is not reliably established. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew (likely of Egyptian origin) | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛrən/ | |
| 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #71 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Aaron has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew (likely of Egyptian origin)); Steven does not have one recorded yet.
- Aaron and Steven both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Aaron; Steven doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Aaron
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #222 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1965–2025
Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1998 (recorded 1965–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #180 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys
Steven
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #363 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2000
Highest recorded position: #12 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1961 (recorded 1952–2000).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #976 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys