Alfred vs Columba
Alfred and Columbacompared 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 1979, Alfred was ranked #292 and Columba #269 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Alfred and Columba over time
Alfred and Columba appear together in 1 published list, across 9 years of shared records. Alfred held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Columba in 0.
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.
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
Republic of Ireland · Boys9 shared years, 1964–1979
Alfred held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Columba in 1.
Highest recorded here: Alfred #134 in 1964, Columba #145 in 1964.
The order changed in 1979: Columba moved ahead. In 1978 they stood at #254 and #268; by 1979 that had become #292 and #269.
Most recent shared year, 1979: Alfred #292, Columba #269.
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 | Alfred | Columba |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO | IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #26 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #269 (1979) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 40/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Alfred has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Columba.
- Both names have recorded usage in IE.
How each name got here
Alfred
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #18 among boys in Norway, in 2023 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #26 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Columba
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #145 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1964–1979
Highest recorded position: #145 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–1979).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent1979
Most recently recorded at #269 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1979.
Republic of Ireland · Boys