Adam vs Andrew
Adam and Andrewcompared 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 · Boys
In 2025, Adam was ranked #20 and Andrew #106 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2021, Adam was ranked #21 and Andrew #458 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Adam was ranked #35 and Andrew #315 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Adam was ranked #38 and Andrew #216 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Adam was ranked #42 and Andrew #104 among boys in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2016, Adam was ranked #43 and Andrew #89 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2013, Adam was ranked #71 and Andrew #75 among boys in New Zealand.
Adam and Andrew over time
Adam and Andrew appear together in 6 published lists, across 275 years of shared records. Adam held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Andrew 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.
Andrew reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Adam 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 2001, Adam moved ahead of Andrew in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #29 and #25 the year before became #32 and #33.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Adam and Andrew changed places 4 times in Norway · Boys between 1954 and 2021, ending at #21 and #458.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 54 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Adam and Andrew averaged 15.5 places apart, ending at #43 and #89.
- Longest-running competitions
Adam and Andrew were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 54 years, from 1961 to 2016, ending at #43 and #89.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Adam #16 in 1996, Andrew #29 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1965–2025
Adam held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Andrew in 29.
Highest recorded here: Adam #3 in 2001, Andrew #16 in 1992.
The order changed in 1994: Adam moved ahead. In 1993 they stood at #21 and #16; by 1994 that had become #15 and #20.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Adam #20, Andrew #106.
Norway · Boys56 shared years, 1954–2021
Adam held the stronger position in 54 of those years, Andrew in 2.
Highest recorded here: Adam #21 in 2021, Andrew #206 in 1963.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Adam #21, Andrew #458.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys54 shared years, 1961–2016
Adam held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Andrew in 40.
Highest recorded here: Adam #7 in 1979, Andrew #4 in 1970.
The order changed in 2001: Adam moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #29 and #25; by 2001 that had become #32 and #33.
Most recent shared year, 2016: Adam #43, Andrew #89.
New Zealand · Boys47 shared years, 1965–2013
Adam held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Andrew in 37.
Highest recorded here: Adam #13 in 1986, Andrew #2 in 1975.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2013: Adam #71, Andrew #75.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Adam held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Andrew in 0.
Highest recorded here: Adam #16 in 1996, Andrew #29 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Adam #35, Andrew #315.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Adam held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Andrew in 1.
Highest recorded here: Adam #3 in 2001, Andrew #5 in 1997.
The order changed in 1998: Adam moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #10 and #5; by 1998 that had become #6 and #11.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Adam #38, Andrew #216.
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 | Adam | Andrew |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Traditionally understood as the Hebrew word for 'man', with a wordplay connection in Genesis to 'ground/earth', since Adam is described as formed from earth. | The English form of Greek Andreas, from 'andreios' ('manly, masculine'), itself from 'aner' ('man'). The apostle Andrew was the first disciple to join Jesus and is patron saint of Scotland. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Greek, biblical |
| Pronunciation | /ˈædəm/ | /ˈæn.dɹuː/ |
| 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 #20 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #106 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Adam is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Andrew is recorded with a Greek, biblical origin.
- Adam and Andrew both have 2 syllables.
- Adam's recorded meaning differs from Andrew'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
Adam
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #380 among boys in Norway in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2001 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #72 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Andrew
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #344 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–2013
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in New Zealand, in 1975 (recorded 1954–2013).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #106 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys