Arthur vs Mason
Arthur and Masoncompared 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 Mason #63 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Arthur was ranked #11 and Mason #26 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #16 and Mason #61 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #19 and Mason #56 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #24 and Mason #25 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #57 and Mason #75 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Arthur and Mason over time
Arthur and Mason appear together in 5 published lists, across 93 years of shared records. Mason 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.
Mason reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 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 took the other's place near the top
In Republic of Ireland · Boys, Arthur moved into the top 50 at #47 in 2024 as Mason fell out of it to #56, having been #49 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2016, Arthur moved ahead of Mason in England and Wales · Boys — #37 and #31 the year before became #30 and #34.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Arthur and Mason averaged 54.1 places apart, ending at #4 and #63.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Arthur #47 in 2024, Mason #32 in 2022.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Arthur held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Mason in 20.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #3 in 2020, Mason #27 in 2013.
The order changed in 2016: Arthur moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #37 and #31; by 2016 that had become #30 and #34.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Arthur #4, Mason #63.
Republic of Ireland · Boys25 shared years, 1993–2025
Arthur held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Mason in 14.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #47 in 2024, Mason #32 in 2022.
The order changed in 2024: Arthur moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #70 and #49; by 2024 that had become #47 and #56.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #57, Mason #75.
Northern Ireland · Boys20 shared years, 2004–2024
Arthur held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Mason in 13.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #14 in 2023, Mason #15 in 2013.
The order changed in 2018: Arthur moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #42 and #19; by 2018 that had become #21 and #25.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Arthur #16, Mason #61.
New Zealand · Boys10 shared years, 2014–2023
Arthur held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Mason in 8.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #11 in 2023, Mason #4 in 2014.
The order changed in 2022: Arthur moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #20 and #13; by 2022 that had become #12 and #22.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Arthur #11, Mason #26.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys9 shared years, 2017–2025
Arthur held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Mason in 4.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #18 in 2024, Mason #14 in 2018.
The order changed in 2021: Arthur moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #44 and #21; by 2021 that had become #27 and #36.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #19, Mason #56.
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 | Mason |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Meaning debated — no single origin is established with confidence. | Originally an occupational surname/vocabulary word meaning 'stoneworker', later adopted as a given name. The deeper root of the word itself is disputed among etymologists — a Germanic (Frankish) origin versus an alternative Medieval Latin source. |
| Origin | Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman | English surname, from Old French masson/macon |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɑɹθər/ | /ˈmeɪsən/ |
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #19 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #56 (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 Mason is recorded with a English surname, from Old French masson/macon origin.
- Arthur and Mason both have 2 syllables.
- Arthur's recorded meaning differs from Mason'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 Mason 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
Mason
Popularity journey
First recorded1993
First recorded at #339 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1993 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded2000–2023
Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in New Zealand, in 2014 (recorded 2000–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #56 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys