Adam vs Brett
Adam and Brettcompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2008, Adam was ranked #12 and Brett #328 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1992, Adam was ranked #20 and Brett #90 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 1991, Adam was ranked #31 and Brett #324 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1991, Adam was ranked #32 and Brett #100 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Adam was ranked #35 and Brett #4270 among boys in England and Wales.
Adam and Brett over time
Adam and Brett appear together in 4 published lists, across 95 years of shared records. Adam held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Brett in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Brett reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 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 took the other's place near the top
In New Zealand · Boys, Adam moved into the top 50 at #41 in 1973 as Brett fell out of it to #54, having been #40 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1971, Adam moved ahead of Brett in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #23 and #22 the year before became #18 and #22.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 32 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Adam and Brett averaged 28.2 places apart, ending at #20 and #90.
- Longest-running competitions
Adam and Brett were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 32 years, from 1961 to 1992, ending at #20 and #90.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Adam #16 in 1996, Brett #159 in 1996.
List by list
New South Wales, Australia · Boys32 shared years, 1961–1992
Adam held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Brett in 10.
Highest recorded here: Adam #7 in 1979, Brett #15 in 1963.
The order changed in 1971: Adam moved ahead. In 1970 they stood at #23 and #22; by 1971 that had become #18 and #22.
Most recent shared year, 1992: Adam #20, Brett #90.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Adam held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Brett in 0.
Highest recorded here: Adam #16 in 1996, Brett #159 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Adam #35, Brett #4270.
New Zealand · Boys26 shared years, 1965–1991
Adam held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Brett in 8.
Highest recorded here: Adam #13 in 1986, Brett #21 in 1967.
The order changed in 1973: Adam moved ahead. In 1972 they stood at #50 and #40; by 1973 that had become #41 and #54.
Most recent shared year, 1991: Adam #32, Brett #100.
Northern Ireland · Boys8 shared years, 1997–2008
Adam held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Brett in 0.
Highest recorded here: Adam #3 in 2001, Brett #190 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Adam #12, Brett #328.
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 | Brett |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| 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. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈædəm/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| 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, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #20 (2025) | England and Wales · Boys #4270 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Adam has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Brett does not have one recorded yet.
- Adam has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Brett.
- A meaning is recorded for Adam; Brett doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, 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
Brett
Popularity journey
First recorded1954
First recorded at #95 among boys in New Zealand in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Boys
Highest recorded1955–1992
Highest recorded position: #15 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1963 (recorded 1955–1992).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #4270 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys