Andrew vs Paul
Andrew and Paulcompared 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.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1998, Andrew was ranked #25 and Paul #86 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1998, Andrew was ranked #32 and Paul #86 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Andrew was ranked #104 and Paul #290 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Andrew was ranked #106 and Paul #286 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Andrew was ranked #216 and Paul #278 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2021, Andrew was ranked #458 and Paul #262 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Andrew was ranked #315 and Paul #586 among boys in England and Wales.
Andrew and Paul over time
Andrew and Paul appear together in 6 published lists, across 270 years of shared records. Andrew held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Paul in 2.
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.
Paul reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Andrew 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.
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 1970, Andrew moved ahead of Paul in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #5 and #4 the year before became #4 and #5.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Andrew and Paul changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 1998, ending at #32 and #86.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 46 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Andrew and Paul averaged 19.9 places apart, ending at #25 and #86.
- Longest-running competitions
Andrew and Paul were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 46 years, from 1952 to 1998, ending at #25 and #86.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Andrew #29 in 1996, Paul #72 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Andrew held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Paul in 32.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #16 in 1992, Paul #3 in 1978.
The order changed in 1996: Andrew moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #22 and #21; by 1996 that had become #19 and #28.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Andrew #106, Paul #286.
Norway · Boys61 shared years, 1946–2021
Andrew held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Paul in 61.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #206 in 1963, Paul #67 in 1946.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Andrew #458, Paul #262.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys46 shared years, 1952–1998
Andrew held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Paul in 18.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #4 in 1970, Paul #4 in 1966.
The order changed in 1970: Andrew moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #5 and #4; by 1970 that had become #4 and #5.
Most recent shared year, 1998: Andrew #25, Paul #86.
New Zealand · Boys44 shared years, 1954–1998
Andrew held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Paul in 15.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #2 in 1975, Paul #3 in 1965.
The order changed in 1972: Andrew moved ahead. In 1971 they stood at #5 and #4; by 1972 that had become #4 and #5.
Most recent shared year, 1998: Andrew #32, Paul #86.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Andrew held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Paul in 0.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #29 in 1996, Paul #72 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Andrew #315, Paul #586.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Andrew held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Paul in 0.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #5 in 1997, Paul #27 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Andrew #216, Paul #278.
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 | Paul |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | From the Roman name Paulus, meaning 'small' in Latin. Saint Paul, originally named Saul, converted to Christianity and became a key missionary figure, authoring several New Testament epistles. |
| Origin | Greek, biblical | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæn.dɹuː/ | /ˈpɔːl/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| 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 #286 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| 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 Paul is recorded with a Latin origin.
- Andrew has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Paul.
- Andrew's recorded meaning differs from Paul'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
Paul
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #73 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1998
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 1965 (recorded 1954–1998).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #286 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys