Bailey vs Oliver
Bailey and Olivercompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2014, Bailey was ranked #85 and Oliver #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Bailey was ranked #249 and Oliver #3 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Bailey was ranked #268 and Oliver #7 among boys in Scotland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2008, Bailey was ranked #68 and Oliver #8 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Bailey was ranked #256 and Oliver #10 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Bailey was ranked #516 and Oliver #22 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Bailey and Oliver over time
Bailey and Oliver appear together in 5 published lists, across 111 years of shared records. Oliver 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.
Bailey reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Oliver 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Bailey held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Oliver in 29.
Highest recorded here: Bailey #62 in 2005, Oliver #1 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bailey #249, Oliver #3.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2024
Bailey held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Oliver in 27.
Highest recorded here: Bailey #83 in 2002, Oliver #3 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bailey #256, Oliver #10.
Republic of Ireland · Boys23 shared years, 1998–2023
Bailey held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Oliver in 23.
Highest recorded here: Bailey #232 in 2006, Oliver #22 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Bailey #516, Oliver #22.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys19 shared years, 1996–2014
Bailey held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Oliver in 11.
Highest recorded here: Bailey #23 in 2004, Oliver #1 in 2014.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Bailey #85, Oliver #1.
New Zealand · Boys13 shared years, 1996–2008
Bailey held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Oliver in 11.
Highest recorded here: Bailey #30 in 1999, Oliver #6 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Bailey #68, Oliver #8.
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 | Oliver |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Commonly interpreted as 'olive tree', though the true root is debated. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Old French |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈɒlɪvər/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Ollie, Olivier, Oliviero |
| 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) | United Kingdom #1 (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
- Oliver has a recorded origin (Old French); Bailey does not have one recorded yet.
- Bailey has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Oliver.
- A meaning is recorded for Oliver; 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
Oliver
Popularity journey
First recorded1959
First recorded at #478 among boys in Norway in 1959 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2009 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys