Arthur vs Ros
Arthur and Roscompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 1999, Arthur was ranked #330 and Ros #266 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Arthur and Ros over time
Arthur and Ros appear together in 1 published list, across 13 years of shared records. Arthur held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Ros in 0.
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.
Arthur reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Ros 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.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys13 shared years, 1977–1999
Arthur held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Ros in 1.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #146 in 1980, Ros #250 in 1985.
The order changed in 1999: Ros moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #280 and #324; by 1999 that had become #330 and #266.
Most recent shared year, 1999: Arthur #330, Ros #266.
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 | Ros |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Art, Artie | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #19 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #873 (2017) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 40/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Arthur has a recorded origin (Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman); Ros does not have one recorded yet.
- Arthur has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Ros.
- A meaning is recorded for Arthur; Ros doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in IE.
- The available evidence gives Arthur a "high" Data Confidence level and Ros 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
Ros
Popularity journey
First recorded1977
First recorded at #293 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1977 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1977–1999
Highest recorded position: #250 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1985 (recorded 1977–1999).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent1999
Most recently recorded at #266 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1999.
Republic of Ireland · Boys