Namewise

Aaron vs Timothy

Aaron and Timothycompared 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 2005, Aaron was ranked #60 and Timothy #78 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Aaron was ranked #71 and Timothy #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2005, Aaron was ranked #72 and Timothy #100 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Aaron was ranked #114 and Timothy #535 among boys in Scotland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2019, Aaron was ranked #172 and Timothy #518 among boys in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Aaron was ranked #180 and Timothy #418 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Aaron was ranked #187 and Timothy #339 among boys in Northern Ireland.

Aaron and Timothy over time

Aaron and Timothy appear together in 6 published lists, across 217 years of shared records. Aaron held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Timothy in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Timothy reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Aaron in 1. 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 1994, Aaron moved ahead of Timothy in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #26 and #25 the year before became #25 and #26.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Aaron and Timothy changed places 7 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1966 and 2005, ending at #72 and #100.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 37 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Aaron and Timothy averaged 13.7 places apart, ending at #60 and #78.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Aaron and Timothy were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #180 and #418.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Aaron #31 in 1998, Timothy #82 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys60 shared years, 1965–2025

    Aaron held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Timothy in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Aaron #6 in 1998, Timothy #29 in 1965.

    The order changed in 1987: Aaron moved ahead. In 1986 they stood at #68 and #55; by 1987 that had become #57 and #58.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Aaron #71, Timothy #329.

  • New Zealand · Boys40 shared years, 1966–2005

    Aaron held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Timothy in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Aaron #8 in 1972, Timothy #10 in 1981.

    The order changed in 2003: Aaron moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #93 and #82; by 2003 that had become #72 and #83.

    Most recent shared year, 2005: Aaron #72, Timothy #100.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys37 shared years, 1969–2005

    Aaron held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Timothy in 25.

    Highest recorded here: Aaron #18 in 1986, Timothy #11 in 1984.

    The order changed in 1994: Aaron moved ahead. In 1993 they stood at #26 and #25; by 1994 that had become #25 and #26.

    Most recent shared year, 2005: Aaron #60, Timothy #78.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Aaron held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Timothy in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Aaron #31 in 1998, Timothy #82 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Aaron #180, Timothy #418.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Aaron held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Timothy in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Aaron #8 in 2000, Timothy #75 in 2000.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Aaron #187, Timothy #339.

  • Norway · Boys22 shared years, 1978–2019

    Aaron held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Timothy in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Aaron #162 in 2015, Timothy #413 in 1988.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Aaron #172, Timothy #518.

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 Aaron

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

Other comparisons involving Timothy

Pairs where Timothy 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 — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

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

New Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2000s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2000 and 2009.

The 2000s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Aaron, Timothy
FieldAaronTimothy
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningBest 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.From Greek Timotheos, literally 'honouring God', combining 'timao' (to honour) with 'theos' (god). Saint Timothy accompanied the Apostle Paul on missionary journeys.
OriginBiblical Hebrew (likely of Egyptian origin)Greek
Pronunciation/ˈɛrən//ˈtɪm.ə.θi/
Syllables23
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 · Boys #71 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #329 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Aaron is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew (likely of Egyptian origin) origin, while Timothy is recorded with a Greek origin.
  • Aaron has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Timothy.
  • Aaron's recorded meaning differs from Timothy's — see the table above for each.
  • 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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1965–2025

    Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1998 (recorded 1965–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #180 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Timothy

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #61 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1954–2005

    Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New Zealand, in 1981 (recorded 1954–2005).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #418 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys