Arthur vs Harry
Arthur and Harrycompared 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 Harry #20 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Arthur was ranked #11 and Harry #40 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #16 and Harry #13 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #19 and Harry #39 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #24 and Harry #31 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #57 and Harry #25 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2019, Arthur was ranked #102 and Harry #431 among boys in Norway.
Arthur and Harry over time
Arthur and Harry appear together in 6 published lists, across 167 years of shared records. Harry held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Arthur in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 5 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Harry reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2019, Arthur moved ahead of Harry in England and Wales · Boys — #7 and #3 the year before became #4 and #5.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Arthur and Harry changed places 7 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2019, ending at #102 and #431.
- Longest-running competitions
Arthur and Harry were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 42 years, from 1945 to 2019, ending at #102 and #431.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys57 shared years, 1965–2025
Arthur held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Harry in 35.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #47 in 2024, Harry #6 in 2018.
The order changed in 1991: Harry moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #175 and #193; by 1991 that had become #216 and #186.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #57, Harry #25.
Norway · Boys42 shared years, 1945–2019
Arthur held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Harry in 30.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #102 in 2019, Harry #69 in 1946.
The order changed in 1991: Arthur moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #449 and #396; by 1991 that had become #328 and #575.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Arthur #102, Harry #431.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Arthur held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Harry in 23.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #3 in 2020, Harry #1 in 2011.
The order changed in 2019: Arthur moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #7 and #3; by 2019 that had become #4 and #5.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Arthur #4, Harry #20.
Northern Ireland · Boys20 shared years, 2004–2024
Arthur held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Harry in 19.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #14 in 2023, Harry #4 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Arthur #16, Harry #13.
New Zealand · Boys10 shared years, 2014–2023
Arthur held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Harry in 5.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #11 in 2023, Harry #22 in 2018.
The order changed in 2019: Arthur moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #64 and #22; by 2019 that had become #35 and #38.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Arthur #11, Harry #40.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys9 shared years, 2017–2025
Arthur held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Harry in 4.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #18 in 2024, Harry #15 in 2018.
The order changed in 2021: Arthur moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #44 and #30; by 2021 that had become #27 and #33.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #19, Harry #39.
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 | Harry |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Meaning debated — no single origin is established with confidence. | A diminutive/pet form, inheriting its meaning from Henry — 'home ruler' — and functioning, in modern times, as a nickname for both Henry and names beginning with 'Har-'. During the Middle Ages in England, Henry was generally rendered as Harry or Herry in English pronunciation. |
| Origin | Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman | English, medieval form/diminutive of Henry |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɑɹθər/ | /ˈhæri/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| 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, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #19 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #25 (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 | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Arthur is recorded with a Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman origin, while Harry is recorded with a English, medieval form/diminutive of Henry origin.
- Arthur and Harry both have 2 syllables.
- Arthur's recorded meaning differs from Harry's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Arthur a "high" Data Confidence level and Harry 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
Harry
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #70 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: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2011 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #39 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys