Arthur vs Theo
Arthur and Theocompared 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 Theo #12 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #24 and Theo #4 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #16 and Theo #5 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Arthur was ranked #11 and Theo #19 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #19 and Theo #32 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #57 and Theo #21 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #83 and Theo #22 among boys in Norway.
Arthur and Theo over time
Arthur and Theo appear together in 5 published lists, across 125 years of shared records. Theo held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Arthur in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 3 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 2 of those lists, Theo 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2019, Arthur moved ahead of Theo in New Zealand · Boys — #64 and #46 the year before became #35 and #44.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Arthur and Theo changed places 7 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1988 and 2025, ending at #57 and #21.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Arthur and Theo averaged 21.3 places apart, ending at #4 and #12.
- Longest-running competitions
Arthur and Theo were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 36 years, from 1986 to 2025, ending at #83 and #22.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Arthur #3 in 2020, Theo #9 in 2022.
List by list
Norway · Boys36 shared years, 1986–2025
Arthur held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Theo in 26.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #74 in 2020, Theo #17 in 2024.
The order changed in 2001: Theo moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #228 and #318; by 2001 that had become #290 and #225.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #83, Theo #22.
Republic of Ireland · Boys30 shared years, 1988–2025
Arthur held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Theo in 12.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #47 in 2024, Theo #13 in 2024.
The order changed in 2014: Theo moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #135 and #152; by 2014 that had become #136 and #123.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #57, Theo #21.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Arthur held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Theo in 17.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #3 in 2020, Theo #9 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Arthur #4, Theo #12.
Northern Ireland · Boys20 shared years, 2004–2024
Arthur held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Theo in 19.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #14 in 2023, Theo #4 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Arthur #16, Theo #5.
New Zealand · Boys10 shared years, 2014–2023
Arthur held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Theo in 5.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #11 in 2023, Theo #19 in 2023.
The order changed in 2019: Arthur moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #64 and #46; by 2019 that had become #35 and #44.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Arthur #11, Theo #19.
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 | Theo |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Meaning debated — no single origin is established with confidence. | Gift of God. |
| Origin | Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman | Greek, via Theodore/Theodora |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɑɹθər/ | /ˈθioʊ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Art, Artie | Teddy |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #21 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | high |
What the data shows
- Arthur is recorded with a Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman origin, while Theo is recorded with a Greek, via Theodore/Theodora origin.
- Arthur has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Theo.
- Arthur's recorded meaning differs from Theo's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
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
Theo
Popularity journey
First recorded1986
First recorded at #637 among boys in Norway in 1986 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded2001–2024
Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2022 (recorded 2001–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #32 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys