Adam vs Mael
Adam and Maelcompared 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Adam was ranked #35 and Mael #1517 among boys in England and Wales.
Adam and Mael over time
Adam and Mael appear together in 1 published list, across 19 years of shared records. Adam held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Mael in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Adam reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Mael 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys19 shared years, 2004–2024
Adam held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Mael in 0.
Highest recorded here: Adam #24 in 2004, Mael #1363 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Adam #35, Mael #1517.
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 Adam
Pairs where Adam shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Adam vs Einar
Over 73 shared years in Norway · Boys, Adam rose about as far as Einar fell — from #380 and #28 in 1952 to #29 and #57 in 2025.
Adam · Einar · 73 shared years, 1952–2025 · Mirrored each other
- Adam vs Erik
Over 73 shared years in Norway · Boys, Adam rose about as far as Erik fell — from #380 and #31 in 1952 to #29 and #64 in 2025.
Adam · Erik · 73 shared years, 1952–2025 · Mirrored each other
- Adam vs Espen
Over 73 shared years in Norway · Boys, Adam rose about as far as Espen fell — from #380 and #249 in 1952 to #29 and #430 in 2025.
Adam · Espen · 73 shared years, 1952–2025 · Mirrored each other
- Adam vs Nils
Over 73 shared years in Norway · Boys, Adam rose about as far as Nils fell — from #380 and #26 in 1952 to #29 and #61 in 2025.
Adam · Nils · 73 shared years, 1952–2025 · Mirrored each other
Side by side
| Field | Adam | Mael |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | GB-ENW |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #20 (2025) | England and Wales · Boys #1517 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 40/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Adam has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Mael does not have one recorded yet.
- Adam has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Mael.
- A meaning is recorded for Adam; Mael doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW.
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
Mael
Popularity journey
First recorded2004
First recorded at #2578 among boys in England and Wales in 2004 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded2004–2024
Highest recorded position: #1363 among boys in England and Wales, in 2023 (recorded 2004–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1517 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys