Alistair vs Taylor
Alistair and Taylorcompared 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.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Alistair was ranked #246 and Taylor #227 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2019, Alistair was ranked #365 and Taylor #312 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alistair was ranked #545 and Taylor #385 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Alistair was ranked #509 and Taylor #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Alistair and Taylor over time
Alistair and Taylor appear together in 3 published lists, across 54 years of shared records. Taylor held the stronger position in more years in 3 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 3 of those lists, and Taylor 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 0 of those years, Taylor in 29.
Highest recorded here: Alistair #133 in 1996, Taylor #65 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alistair #545, Taylor #385.
Northern Ireland · Boys13 shared years, 1997–2019
Alistair held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Taylor in 13.
Highest recorded here: Alistair #179 in 1997, Taylor #82 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Alistair #365, Taylor #312.
Republic of Ireland · Boys12 shared years, 1992–2025
Alistair held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Taylor in 8.
Highest recorded here: Alistair #334 in 1995, Taylor #172 in 2005.
The order changed in 2025: Alistair moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #785 and #785; by 2025 that had become #509 and #829.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alistair #509, Taylor #829.
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 | Taylor |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | Used for both boys and girls |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #509 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #443 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Alistair has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Taylor.
- 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
Taylor
Popularity journey
First recorded1991
First recorded at #91 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1991 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1992–2010
Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1996 (recorded 1992–2010).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #443 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls