Arthur vs Isaac
Arthur and Isaaccompared 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 Isaac #37 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Arthur was ranked #11 and Isaac #46 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #16 and Isaac #26 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #19 and Isaac #26 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #24 and Isaac #49 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #57 and Isaac #104 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #83 and Isaac #251 among boys in Norway.
Arthur and Isaac over time
Arthur and Isaac appear together in 6 published lists, across 147 years of shared records. Isaac 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.
Isaac 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 2017, Arthur moved ahead of Isaac in England and Wales · Boys — #30 and #20 the year before became #19 and #24.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Arthur and Isaac averaged 58.2 places apart, ending at #4 and #37.
- Longest-running competitions
Arthur and Isaac were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 41 years, from 1974 to 2025, ending at #83 and #251.
List by list
Norway · Boys41 shared years, 1974–2025
Arthur held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Isaac in 1.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #74 in 2020, Isaac #164 in 2014.
The order changed in 1975: Arthur moved ahead. In 1974 they stood at #481 and #407; by 1975 that had become #368 and #609.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #83, Isaac #251.
Republic of Ireland · Boys38 shared years, 1964–2025
Arthur held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Isaac in 22.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #47 in 2024, Isaac #77 in 2014.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #57, Isaac #104.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Arthur held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Isaac in 21.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #3 in 2020, Isaac #20 in 2015.
The order changed in 2017: Arthur moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #30 and #20; by 2017 that had become #19 and #24.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Arthur #4, Isaac #37.
Northern Ireland · Boys20 shared years, 2004–2024
Arthur held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Isaac in 14.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #14 in 2023, Isaac #20 in 2020.
The order changed in 2021: Arthur moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #21 and #20; by 2021 that had become #18 and #31.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Arthur #16, Isaac #26.
New Zealand · Boys10 shared years, 2014–2023
Arthur held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Isaac in 5.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #11 in 2023, Isaac #28 in 2014.
The order changed in 2019: Arthur moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #64 and #31; by 2019 that had become #35 and #36.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Arthur #11, Isaac #46.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys9 shared years, 2017–2025
Arthur held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Isaac in 6.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #18 in 2024, Isaac #15 in 2017.
The order changed in 2023: Arthur moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #31 and #19; by 2023 that had become #32 and #33.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #19, Isaac #26.
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 | Isaac |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Meaning debated — no single origin is established with confidence. | Traditionally understood as 'he will laugh' or 'he laughs', tied to the biblical narrative in which Abraham and Sarah laugh at the prophecy of Isaac's birth in their old age. |
| Origin | Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman | Biblical Hebrew, transmitted into English via Greek Isaak and Late Latin Isaac |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɑɹθər/ | /ˈaɪzək/ |
| 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) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #26 (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 Isaac is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, transmitted into English via Greek Isaak and Late Latin Isaac origin.
- Arthur and Isaac both have 2 syllables.
- Arthur's recorded meaning differs from Isaac'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 Isaac 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
Isaac
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1990–2025
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2015 (recorded 1990–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #26 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys