Namewise

Arthur vs Edgar

Arthur and Edgarcompared 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.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Arthur was ranked #4 and Edgar #898 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Arthur was ranked #47 and Edgar #655 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Arthur was ranked #83 and Edgar #340 among boys in Norway.

Arthur and Edgar over time

Arthur and Edgar appear together in 3 published lists, across 109 years of shared records. Arthur held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Edgar 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.

Edgar reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Arthur 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.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Arthur and Edgar changed places 15 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2025, ending at #83 and #340.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Arthur and Edgar were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 69 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #83 and #340.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Arthur #3 in 2020, Edgar #690 in 2018.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys69 shared years, 19452025

    Arthur held the stronger position in 48 of those years, Edgar in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Arthur #74 in 2020, Edgar #122 in 1951.

    The order changed in 1986: Arthur moved ahead. In 1985 they stood at #531 and #413; by 1986 that had become #563 and #568.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #83, Edgar #340.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Arthur held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Edgar in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Arthur #3 in 2020, Edgar #690 in 2018.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Arthur #4, Edgar #898.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys11 shared years, 19672024

    Arthur held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Edgar in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Arthur #47 in 2024, Edgar #254 in 1972.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Arthur #47, Edgar #655.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Arthur, Edgar
FieldArthurEdgar
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningMeaning debated — no single origin is established with confidence.Not yet recorded
OriginDisputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly RomanNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈɑɹθər/Not yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesArt, ArtieNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, IE, NO
Most recent popularity observationNew South Wales, Australia · Boys #19 (2025)Norway · Boys #340 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Arthur has a recorded origin (Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman); Edgar does not have one recorded yet.
  • Arthur and Edgar both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Arthur; Edgar doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE, NO.
  • The available evidence gives Arthur a "high" Data Confidence level and Edgar a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Arthur

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #153 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in England and Wales, in 2020 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #19 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

Edgar

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #142 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #122 among boys in Norway, in 1951 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #340 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys