Namewise

Arthur vs Tim

Arthur and Timcompared 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 Tim #1859 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2020, Arthur was ranked #21 and Tim #392 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Arthur was ranked #57 and Tim #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Arthur was ranked #83 and Tim #218 among boys in Norway.

Arthur and Tim over time

Arthur and Tim appear together in 3 published lists, across 123 years of shared records. Arthur held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Tim in 1.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Tim reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 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.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys63 shared years, 19572025

    Arthur held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Tim in 41.

    Highest recorded here: Arthur #74 in 2020, Tim #148 in 1991.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #83, Tim #218.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys31 shared years, 19912025

    Arthur held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Tim in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Arthur #47 in 2024, Tim #250 in 2000.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #57, Tim #829.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Arthur held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Tim in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Arthur #3 in 2020, Tim #588 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Arthur #4, Tim #1859.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Arthur, Tim
FieldArthurTim
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningMeaning debated — no single origin is established with confidence.Not yet recorded
OriginDisputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly RomanNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈɑɹθər/Not yet recorded
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesArt, ArtieNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO
Most recent popularity observationNew South Wales, Australia · Boys #19 (2025)Norway · Boys #218 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Arthur has a recorded origin (Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman); Tim does not have one recorded yet.
  • Arthur has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Tim.
  • A meaning is recorded for Arthur; Tim doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO.
  • The available evidence gives Arthur a "high" Data Confidence level and Tim 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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in England and Wales, in 2020 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #19 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

Tim

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1957

    First recorded at #414 among boys in Norway in 1957 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1957–2025

    Highest recorded position: #135 among boys in Norway, in 1988 (recorded 1957–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #218 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys