Arthur vs Elijah
Arthur and Elijahcompared 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 Elijah #23 among boys in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #19 and Elijah #7 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Arthur was ranked #11 and Elijah #13 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #16 and Elijah #57 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #24 and Elijah #76 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #57 and Elijah #97 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Arthur and Elijah over time
Arthur and Elijah appear together in 5 published lists, across 93 years of shared records. Arthur held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Elijah in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Arthur reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Elijah 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 2015, Arthur moved ahead of Elijah in Northern Ireland · Boys — #145 and #83 the year before became #89 and #102.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Arthur and Elijah averaged 41.2 places apart, ending at #4 and #23.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Arthur #14 in 2023, Elijah #52 in 2023.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Arthur held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Elijah in 0.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #3 in 2020, Elijah #23 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Arthur #4, Elijah #23.
Republic of Ireland · Boys26 shared years, 2000–2025
Arthur held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Elijah in 1.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #47 in 2024, Elijah #97 in 2025.
The order changed in 2003: Arthur moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #292 and #226; by 2003 that had become #214 and #266.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #57, Elijah #97.
Northern Ireland · Boys19 shared years, 2005–2024
Arthur held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Elijah in 9.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #14 in 2023, Elijah #52 in 2023.
The order changed in 2015: Arthur moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #145 and #83; by 2015 that had become #89 and #102.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Arthur #16, Elijah #57.
New Zealand · Boys10 shared years, 2014–2023
Arthur held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Elijah in 8.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #11 in 2023, Elijah #11 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Arthur #11, Elijah #13.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys9 shared years, 2017–2025
Arthur held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Elijah in 9.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #18 in 2024, Elijah #7 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #19, Elijah #7.
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 | Arthur | Elijah |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Meaning debated — no single origin is established with confidence. | Traditionally rendered as 'my God is Yahweh', reflecting a common theophoric naming pattern in Hebrew. |
| Origin | Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɑɹθər/ | /ɪˈlaɪdʒə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Art, Artie | 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #19 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #7 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Arthur is recorded with a Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman origin, while Elijah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Arthur has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Elijah.
- Arthur's recorded meaning differs from Elijah's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Arthur a "high" Data Confidence level and Elijah 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
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
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in England and Wales, in 2020 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #19 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Elijah
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #312 among boys in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded2003–2025
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025 (recorded 2003–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #7 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys