Bailey vs Nathan
Bailey and Nathancompared 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.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2008, Bailey was ranked #68 and Nathan #33 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Bailey was ranked #516 and Nathan #61 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Bailey was ranked #268 and Nathan #62 among boys in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2014, Bailey was ranked #85 and Nathan #73 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Bailey was ranked #249 and Nathan #88 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Bailey was ranked #256 and Nathan #118 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Bailey and Nathan over time
Bailey and Nathan appear together in 5 published lists, across 111 years of shared records. Nathan held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Bailey in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Nathan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Bailey 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.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Bailey #83 in 2002, Nathan #15 in 2000.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Bailey held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Nathan in 29.
Highest recorded here: Bailey #62 in 2005, Nathan #24 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bailey #249, Nathan #88.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2024
Bailey held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Nathan in 27.
Highest recorded here: Bailey #83 in 2002, Nathan #15 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bailey #256, Nathan #118.
Republic of Ireland · Boys23 shared years, 1998–2023
Bailey held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Nathan in 23.
Highest recorded here: Bailey #232 in 2006, Nathan #26 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Bailey #516, Nathan #61.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys19 shared years, 1996–2014
Bailey held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Nathan in 12.
Highest recorded here: Bailey #23 in 2004, Nathan #17 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Bailey #85, Nathan #73.
New Zealand · Boys13 shared years, 1996–2008
Bailey held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Nathan in 13.
Highest recorded here: Bailey #30 in 1999, Nathan #16 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Bailey #68, Nathan #33.
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 | Bailey | Nathan |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Commonly interpreted as 'he gave' or 'he has given'. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈneɪθən/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #71 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Nathan has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Bailey does not have one recorded yet.
- Bailey and Nathan both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Nathan; Bailey doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Bailey
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #848 among girls in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2014
Highest recorded position: #23 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2004 (recorded 1996–2014).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Nathan
Popularity journey
First recorded1968
First recorded at #267 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1968 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1969–2018
Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1981 (recorded 1969–2018).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #344 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys