Namewise

Barry vs Brent

Barry and Brentcompared 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 1972, Barry was ranked #73 and Brent #32 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2000, Barry was ranked #140 and Brent #244 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2022, Barry was ranked #4001 and Brent #3449 among boys in England and Wales.

Barry and Brent over time

Barry and Brent appear together in 2 published lists, across 43 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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.

Barry reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Brent 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 1961, Brent moved ahead of Barry in New Zealand · Boys — #32 and #47 the year before became #34 and #31.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Barry and Brent changed places 7 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2022, ending at #4001 and #3449.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Barry #441 in 1996, Brent #571 in 1998.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Boys24 shared years, 19962022

    Barry held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Brent in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Barry #441 in 1996, Brent #571 in 1998.

    The order changed in 2022: Brent moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #2404 and #4608; by 2022 that had become #4001 and #3449.

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Barry #4001, Brent #3449.

  • New Zealand · Boys19 shared years, 19541972

    Barry held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Brent in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Barry #24 in 1955, Brent #22 in 1968.

    The order changed in 1961: Brent moved ahead. In 1960 they stood at #32 and #47; by 1961 that had become #34 and #31.

    Most recent shared year, 1972: Barry #73, Brent #32.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Barry, Brent
FieldBarryBrent
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Pronunciation
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #402 (2025)England and Wales · Boys #3449 (2022)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Barry has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Brent.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, NZ.

How each name got here

Barry

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #30 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #17 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1985 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #402 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

Brent

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1954

    First recorded at #67 among boys in New Zealand in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New Zealand · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1954–1987

    Highest recorded position: #22 among boys in New Zealand, in 1968 (recorded 1954–1987).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2022

    Most recently recorded at #3449 among boys in England and Wales, in 2022.

    England and Wales · Boys