Alistair vs Frank
Alistair and Frankcompared 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 2019, Alistair was ranked #365 and Frank #185 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alistair was ranked #545 and Frank #194 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Alistair was ranked #246 and Frank #478 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Alistair was ranked #509 and Frank #286 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Alistair and Frank over time
Alistair and Frank appear together in 2 published lists, across 56 years of shared records. Frank held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Alistair 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.
Alistair reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Frank 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 · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alistair held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Frank in 21.
Highest recorded here: Alistair #133 in 1996, Frank #155 in 2018.
The order changed in 2004: Frank moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #224 and #254; by 2004 that had become #250 and #237.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alistair #545, Frank #194.
Republic of Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1969–2025
Alistair held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Frank in 27.
Highest recorded here: Alistair #245 in 1979, Frank #152 in 1987.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alistair #509, Frank #286.
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 | Alistair | Frank |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Syllables | 3 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #509 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #286 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Alistair has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Frank.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Alistair
Popularity journey
First recorded1956
First recorded at #97 among boys in New Zealand in 1956 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Boys
Highest recorded1956–1964
Highest recorded position: #87 among boys in New Zealand, in 1958 (recorded 1956–1964).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #509 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Frank
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #61 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: #22 among boys in Norway, in 1968 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #459 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys