Namewise

Alfred vs Arthur

Alfred and Arthurcompared 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 2025, Alfred was ranked #76 and Arthur #5 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2023, Alfred was ranked #272 and Arthur #14 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Alfred was ranked #278 and Arthur #24 among boys in Scotland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Alfred was ranked #26 and Arthur #83 among boys in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Alfred was ranked #286 and Arthur #57 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Alfred and Arthur over time

Alfred and Arthur appear together in 4 published lists, across 160 years of shared records. Arthur held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Alfred 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.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 2 of the lists they share.

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 2004, Arthur moved ahead of Alfred in England and Wales · Boys — #125 and #168 the year before became #171 and #151.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Alfred and Arthur changed places 18 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2025, ending at #26 and #83.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Alfred and Arthur averaged 59.6 places apart, ending at #76 and #5.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Alfred and Arthur were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #76 and #5.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys72 shared years, 1945–2025

    Alfred held the stronger position in 49 of those years, Arthur in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Alfred #18 in 2023, Arthur #74 in 2020.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alfred #26, Arthur #83.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys45 shared years, 1964–2025

    Alfred held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Arthur in 45.

    Highest recorded here: Alfred #134 in 1964, Arthur #47 in 2024.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alfred #286, Arthur #57.

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

    Alfred held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Arthur in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Alfred #76 in 2023, Arthur #3 in 2020.

    The order changed in 2004: Arthur moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #125 and #168; by 2004 that had become #171 and #151.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alfred #76, Arthur #5.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys13 shared years, 2008–2023

    Alfred held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Arthur in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Alfred #262 in 2009, Arthur #14 in 2023.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Alfred #272, Arthur #14.

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 Alfred

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

Other comparisons involving Arthur

Pairs where Arthur 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 — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from Norway lists

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

Norway overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Alfred, Arthur
FieldAlfredArthur
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedMeaning debated — no single origin is established with confidence.
OriginNot yet recordedDisputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈɑɹθər/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedArt, Artie
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NOAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Boys #26 (2025)England and Wales · Boys #5 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Arthur has a recorded origin (Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman); Alfred does not have one recorded yet.
  • Alfred and Arthur both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Arthur; Alfred doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
  • The available evidence gives Alfred a "medium" Data Confidence level and Arthur a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Alfred

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #127 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #18 among boys in Norway, in 2023 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #76 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Arthur

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #153 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in England and Wales, in 2020 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #5 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys