Andrew vs David
Andrew and Davidcompared 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 2025, Andrew was ranked #106 and David #45 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Andrew was ranked #315 and David #64 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2013, Andrew was ranked #75 and David #66 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Andrew was ranked #104 and David #71 among boys in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2015, Andrew was ranked #87 and David #100 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Boys
In 2021, Andrew was ranked #458 and David #96 among boys in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Andrew was ranked #216 and David #104 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Andrew and David over time
Andrew and David appear together in 6 published lists, across 300 years of shared records. David held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Andrew in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
David reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Andrew in 1. 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 1997, David moved ahead of Andrew in England and Wales · Boys — #29 and #32 the year before became #37 and #35.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Andrew and David changed places 12 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 2013, ending at #75 and #66.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 62 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Andrew and David averaged 11.7 places apart, ending at #87 and #100.
- Longest-running competitions
Andrew and David were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 62 years, from 1952 to 2015, ending at #87 and #100.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Andrew #29 in 1996, David #32 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #29 and #32 in England and Wales · Boys, 3 places apart; by 2024 they were #315 and #64.
List by list
New South Wales, Australia · Boys62 shared years, 1952–2015
Andrew held the stronger position in 28 of those years, David in 34.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #4 in 1970, David #1 in 1961.
The order changed in 1986: Andrew moved ahead. In 1985 they stood at #6 and #5; by 1986 that had become #5 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Andrew #87, David #100.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Andrew held the stronger position in 0 of those years, David in 62.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #16 in 1992, David #1 in 1985.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Andrew #106, David #45.
Norway · Boys61 shared years, 1946–2021
Andrew held the stronger position in 0 of those years, David in 61.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #206 in 1963, David #38 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Andrew #458, David #96.
New Zealand · Boys58 shared years, 1954–2013
Andrew held the stronger position in 18 of those years, David in 40.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #2 in 1975, David #1 in 1960.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2013: Andrew #75, David #66.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Andrew held the stronger position in 1 of those years, David in 28.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #29 in 1996, David #32 in 1996.
The order changed in 1997: David moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #29 and #32; by 1997 that had become #37 and #35.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Andrew #315, David #64.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Andrew held the stronger position in 3 of those years, David in 25.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #5 in 1997, David #9 in 1997.
The order changed in 2006: David moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #31 and #34; by 2006 that had become #30 and #28.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Andrew #216, David #104.
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 | Andrew | David |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | The English form of Greek Andreas, from 'andreios' ('manly, masculine'), itself from 'aner' ('man'). The apostle Andrew was the first disciple to join Jesus and is patron saint of Scotland. | Commonly interpreted as 'beloved', with a possible secondary sense of 'uncle' for the root. |
| Origin | Greek, biblical | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæn.dɹuː/ | /ˈdeɪvɪd/ |
| 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, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #106 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #45 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Andrew is recorded with a Greek, biblical origin, while David is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Andrew and David both have 2 syllables.
- Andrew's recorded meaning differs from David's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Andrew
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #344 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–2013
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in New Zealand, in 1975 (recorded 1954–2013).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #106 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
David
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #167 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2018
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1961 (recorded 1952–2018).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #88 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys