Barnaby vs Kevin

Barnaby and Kevincompared 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, Barnaby was ranked #195 and Kevin #264 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Barnaby was ranked #727 and Kevin #432 among boys in Scotland.

Barnaby and Kevin over time

Barnaby and Kevin appear together in 1 published list, across 29 years of shared records. Kevin held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Barnaby in 0.

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.

Kevin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Barnaby 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.

One moved ahead of the other
In 2024, Barnaby moved ahead of Kevin in England and Wales · Boys — #241 and #210 the year before became #195 and #264.

List by list

England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Barnaby held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Kevin in 28.
Highest recorded here: Barnaby #195 in 2024, Kevin #141 in 1996.
The order changed in 2024: Barnaby moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #241 and #210; by 2024 that had become #195 and #264.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Barnaby #195, Kevin #264.

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 Kevin

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

Kevin vs Ronny
Over 52 shared years in Norway · Boys, Kevin rose about as far as Ronny fell — from #369 and #231 in 1953 to #62 and #515 in 2011.
Kevin · Ronny · 52 shared years, 1953–2011 · Mirrored each other
See the 2011 Norway ranking
Brian vs Kevin
Brian and Kevin changed places 15 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1952 and 1984, ending at #96 and #70.
Brian · Kevin · 33 shared years, 1952–1984 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 1984 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Kevin vs Kristoffer
Kevin and Kristoffer changed places 15 times in Norway · Boys between 1953 and 2025, ending at #186 and #187.
Kevin · Kristoffer · 71 shared years, 1953–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 2025 Norway ranking
Kevin vs Marcus
Kevin and Marcus changed places 14 times in Norway · Boys between 1963 and 2025, ending at #186 and #150.
Kevin · Marcus · 62 shared years, 1963–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 2025 Norway ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Barnaby, Kevin
Field	Barnaby	Kevin
Record type	Official statistical record (evidence-only)	Editorially researched profile
Gender usage	male	male
Meaning	Not yet recorded	An Anglicized form of the Irish Caoimhín, combining Old Irish 'cóem' (dear, beloved, gentle) with 'gein' (birth) — 'beloved birth'. Associated with Saint Caoimhín, who founded a monastery at Glendalough in the 6th century.
Origin	Not yet recorded	Irish
Pronunciation	Not yet recorded	/ˈkɛv.ɪn/
Syllables	3	2
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	GB-ENW, GB-SCT	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	England and Wales · Boys #195 (2024)	Republic of Ireland · Boys #139 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	82/100	94/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	60/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Kevin has a recorded origin (Irish); Barnaby does not have one recorded yet.
Barnaby has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Kevin.
A meaning is recorded for Kevin; Barnaby doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-SCT.

How each name got here

Barnaby

Popularity journey

First recorded1996
First recorded at #251 among boys in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #195 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #195 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys

Kevin

Popularity journey

First recorded1952
First recorded at #26 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1999
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1999).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #186 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys