Arthur vs Mervyn
Arthur and Mervyncompared 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 2017, Arthur was ranked #19 and Mervyn #3996 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1955, Arthur was ranked #76 and Mervyn #94 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 1989, Arthur was ranked #190 and Mervyn #278 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Arthur and Mervyn over time
Arthur and Mervyn appear together in 2 published lists, across 34 years of shared records. Arthur held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Mervyn in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Mervyn reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Arthur and Mervyn changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 1989, ending at #190 and #278.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 23 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Arthur and Mervyn averaged 56.2 places apart, ending at #190 and #278.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Arthur #91 in 1965, Mervyn #136 in 1964.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys23 shared years, 1964–1989
Arthur held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Mervyn in 2.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #91 in 1965, Mervyn #136 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1989: Arthur #190, Mervyn #278.
England and Wales · Boys11 shared years, 1998–2017
Arthur held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Mervyn in 0.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #19 in 2017, Mervyn #1962 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Arthur #19, Mervyn #3996.
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 | Mervyn |
|---|---|---|
| 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/ | Not yet recorded |
| 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 | GB-ENW, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #19 (2025) | England and Wales · Boys #3996 (2017) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| 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 has a recorded origin (Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman); Mervyn does not have one recorded yet.
- Arthur and Mervyn both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Arthur; Mervyn doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Arthur a "high" Data Confidence level and Mervyn 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
Mervyn
Popularity journey
First recorded1954
First recorded at #85 among boys in New Zealand in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1957
Highest recorded position: #85 among boys in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1957).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2017
Most recently recorded at #3996 among boys in England and Wales, in 2017.
England and Wales · Boys