Adrian vs Douglas
Adrian and Douglascompared 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 1981, Adrian was ranked #50 and Douglas #94 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1984, Adrian was ranked #78 and Douglas #71 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Adrian was ranked #244 and Douglas #257 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2015, Adrian was ranked #259 and Douglas #342 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Adrian was ranked #268 and Douglas #770 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Adrian was ranked #478 and Douglas #290 among boys in Scotland.
Adrian and Douglas over time
Adrian and Douglas appear together in 4 published lists, across 117 years of shared records. Adrian held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Douglas in 1.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Douglas reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Adrian 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 1967, Adrian moved ahead of Douglas in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #76 and #73 the year before became #68 and #77.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Adrian and Douglas averaged 29.1 places apart, ending at #50 and #94.
- Longest-running competitions
Adrian and Douglas were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 45 years, from 1964 to 2023, ending at #268 and #770.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys45 shared years, 1964–2023
Adrian held the stronger position in 45 of those years, Douglas in 0.
Highest recorded here: Adrian #41 in 1975, Douglas #140 in 1968.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Adrian #268, Douglas #770.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Adrian held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Douglas in 2.
Highest recorded here: Adrian #190 in 2009, Douglas #218 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Adrian #244, Douglas #257.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys23 shared years, 1952–1981
Adrian held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Douglas in 14.
Highest recorded here: Adrian #43 in 1971, Douglas #47 in 1952.
The order changed in 1967: Adrian moved ahead. In 1966 they stood at #76 and #73; by 1967 that had become #68 and #77.
Most recent shared year, 1981: Adrian #50, Douglas #94.
New Zealand · Boys20 shared years, 1959–1984
Adrian held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Douglas in 10.
Highest recorded here: Adrian #54 in 1969, Douglas #55 in 1959.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1984: Adrian #78, Douglas #71.
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 | Adrian | Douglas |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From the Latin name Hadrianus. Borne by several saints and six popes, including the only English pope, Adrian IV. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Latin | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeɪ.dɹi.ən/ | Not yet recorded |
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #70 (2025) | England and Wales · Boys #257 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Adrian has a recorded origin (Latin); Douglas does not have one recorded yet.
- Adrian and Douglas both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Adrian; Douglas doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Adrian
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #87 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
Highest recorded1958–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Norway, in 2005 (recorded 1958–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #70 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Douglas
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #47 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
Highest recorded1952–1981
Highest recorded position: #47 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1981).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #257 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys