Ashley vs Fergus
Ashley and Ferguscompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2009, Ashley was ranked #390 and Fergus #390 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ashley was ranked #880 and Fergus #434 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2016, Ashley was ranked #713 and Fergus #713 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Ashley and Fergus over time
Ashley and Fergus appear together in 3 published lists, across 74 years of shared records. Ashley held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Fergus in 1.
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.
Ashley reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Fergus 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
Ashley and Fergus changed places 5 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2009, ending at #390 and #390.
- Longest-running competitions
Ashley and Fergus were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 34 years, from 1967 to 2016, ending at #713 and #713.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Ashley #40 in 1996, Fergus #243 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys34 shared years, 1967–2016
Ashley held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Fergus in 32.
Highest recorded here: Ashley #142 in 1967, Fergus #75 in 1967.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2016: Ashley #713, Fergus #713.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ashley held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Fergus in 3.
Highest recorded here: Ashley #40 in 1996, Fergus #243 in 1996.
The order changed in 2022: Fergus moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #526 and #577; by 2022 that had become #699 and #480.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ashley #880, Fergus #434.
Northern Ireland · Boys11 shared years, 1997–2009
Ashley held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Fergus in 2.
Highest recorded here: Ashley #139 in 1997, Fergus #199 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2009: Ashley #390, Fergus #390.
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 | Ashley | Fergus |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | Used for both boys and girls | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #443 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ashley and Fergus both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Ashley
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1985–2011
Highest recorded position: #17 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1987 (recorded 1985–2011).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #443 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Fergus
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #66 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #66 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys