Arthur vs Kurt
Arthur and Kurtcompared 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 Kurt #2671 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2021, Arthur was ranked #67 and Kurt #755 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2011, Arthur was ranked #231 and Kurt #311 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2009, Arthur was ranked #247 and Kurt #519 among boys in Norway.
Arthur and Kurt over time
Arthur and Kurt appear together in 3 published lists, across 97 years of shared records. Arthur held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Kurt in 1.
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.
Kurt reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Arthur 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Arthur and Kurt were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 51 years, from 1945 to 2009, ending at #247 and #519.
List by list
Norway · Boys51 shared years, 1945–2009
Arthur held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Kurt in 38.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #122 in 1946, Kurt #56 in 1960.
The order changed in 1989: Arthur moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #522 and #265; by 1989 that had become #369 and #462.
Most recent shared year, 2009: Arthur #247, Kurt #519.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Arthur held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Kurt in 0.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #3 in 2020, Kurt #236 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Arthur #4, Kurt #2671.
Republic of Ireland · Boys17 shared years, 1982–2021
Arthur held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Kurt in 1.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #67 in 2021, Kurt #242 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Arthur #67, Kurt #755.
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 | Kurt |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Meaning debated — no single origin is established with confidence. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɑɹθər/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| 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, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #19 (2025) | England and Wales · Boys #2671 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Arthur has a recorded origin (Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman); Kurt does not have one recorded yet.
- Arthur has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Kurt.
- A meaning is recorded for Arthur; Kurt doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Arthur a "high" Data Confidence level and Kurt 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
Kurt
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #134 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2009
Highest recorded position: #56 among boys in Norway, in 1960 (recorded 1945–2009).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2671 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys