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Ashley vs Edward

Ashley and Edward compared 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 2025, Ashley was ranked #716 and Edward #31 among boys in England and Wales.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1995, Ashley was ranked #81 and Edward #99 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1993, Ashley was ranked #93 and Edward #84 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2020, Ashley was ranked #637 and Edward #90 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2013, Ashley was ranked #398 and Edward #108 among boys in Northern Ireland.

Ashley and Edward over time

Republic of Ireland · Boys
#30#100#30019672020Ashley #637Edward #901967: Ashley #142, Edward #171969: Ashley #246, Edward #221970: Ashley #305, Edward #231972: Ashley #238, Edward #211974: Ashley #272, Edward #251975: Ashley #161, Edward #311977: Ashley #234, Edward #351978: Ashley #326, Edward #321979: Ashley #324, Edward #411980: Ashley #264, Edward #441981: Ashley #217, Edward #421982: Ashley #188, Edward #441983: Ashley #186, Edward #441984: Ashley #197, Edward #471985: Ashley #269, Edward #461986: Ashley #230, Edward #471987: Ashley #235, Edward #491988: Ashley #235, Edward #501989: Ashley #232, Edward #561990: Ashley #256, Edward #541991: Ashley #175, Edward #611992: Ashley #267, Edward #691993: Ashley #255, Edward #641994: Ashley #225, Edward #641995: Ashley #261, Edward #701997: Ashley #303, Edward #771998: Ashley #222, Edward #791999: Ashley #266, Edward #812001: Ashley #347, Edward #772003: Ashley #337, Edward #862005: Ashley #518, Edward #1012011: Ashley #730, Edward #952013: Ashley #605, Edward #962016: Ashley #713, Edward #902018: Ashley #749, Edward #872019: Ashley #764, Edward #892020: Ashley #637, Edward #90

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

England and Wales · Boys
#30#100#30019962025Ashley #716Edward #311996: Ashley #40, Edward #451997: Ashley #46, Edward #441998: Ashley #54, Edward #441999: Ashley #68, Edward #432000: Ashley #86, Edward #452001: Ashley #95, Edward #442002: Ashley #95, Edward #462003: Ashley #115, Edward #452004: Ashley #112, Edward #432005: Ashley #115, Edward #462006: Ashley #121, Edward #422007: Ashley #132, Edward #402008: Ashley #159, Edward #422009: Ashley #154, Edward #442010: Ashley #178, Edward #432011: Ashley #201, Edward #402012: Ashley #216, Edward #362013: Ashley #288, Edward #332014: Ashley #295, Edward #312015: Ashley #368, Edward #262016: Ashley #322, Edward #232017: Ashley #414, Edward #232018: Ashley #436, Edward #242019: Ashley #481, Edward #242020: Ashley #559, Edward #292021: Ashley #526, Edward #292022: Ashley #699, Edward #312023: Ashley #704, Edward #302024: Ashley #880, Edward #312025: Ashley #716, Edward #31

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

Ashley and Edward over time

Ashley and Edward appear together in 5 published lists, across 113 years of shared records. Edward held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Ashley in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Ashley reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Edward 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 1997, Edward moved ahead of Ashley in England and Wales · Boys — #40 and #45 the year before became #46 and #44.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Ashley and Edward changed places 6 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1971 and 1993, ending at #93 and #84.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 22 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Ashley and Edward averaged 12.4 places apart, ending at #93 and #84.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Ashley and Edward were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #716 and #31.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Ashley #56 in 1985, Edward #72 in 1987.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1996 they stood at #40 and #45 in England and Wales · Boys, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #716 and #31.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys37 shared years, 1967–2020

    Ashley held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Edward in 37.

    Highest recorded here: Ashley #142 in 1967, Edward #17 in 1967.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2020: Ashley #637, Edward #90.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Ashley held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Edward in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Ashley #40 in 1996, Edward #23 in 2016.

    The order changed in 1997: Edward moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #40 and #45; by 1997 that had become #46 and #44.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ashley #716, Edward #31.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys22 shared years, 1971–1993

    Ashley held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Edward in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Ashley #56 in 1985, Edward #72 in 1987.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1993: Ashley #93, Edward #84.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys13 shared years, 1997–2013

    Ashley held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Edward in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Ashley #139 in 1997, Edward #104 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2013: Ashley #398, Edward #108.

  • New Zealand · Boys11 shared years, 1984–1995

    Ashley held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Edward in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Ashley #53 in 1989, Edward #56 in 1984.

    The order changed in 1994: Ashley moved ahead. In 1993 they stood at #87 and #75; by 1994 that had become #83 and #88.

    Most recent shared year, 1995: Ashley #81, Edward #99.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Ashley

Pairs where Ashley shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Edward

Pairs where Edward shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart →

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

Pairs measured inside England and Wales's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

England and Wales overview →

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars →

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Ashley, Edward
FieldAshleyEdward
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usageUsed for both boys and girlsmale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Pronunciation
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, New ZealandNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New Zealand
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #443 (2025)England and Wales · Boys #31 (2025)
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Ashley and Edward both have 2 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Ashley

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #372 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1985–2011

    Highest recorded position: #17 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1987 (recorded 1985–2011).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1271 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Edward

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1950

    First recorded at #324 among boys in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #17 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #31 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys