Barry vs Bruce
Barry and Brucecompared 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 Bruce #55 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1972, Barry was ranked #100 and Bruce #95 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2007, Barry was ranked #276 and Bruce #357 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Barry was ranked #402 and Bruce #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Barry was ranked #3254 and Bruce #898 among boys in England and Wales.
Barry and Bruce over time
Barry and Bruce appear together in 4 published lists, across 98 years of shared records. Bruce held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Barry 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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.
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
Barry and Bruce changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #402 and #676.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 20 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Barry and Bruce averaged 13.3 places apart, ending at #100 and #95.
- Longest-running competitions
Barry and Bruce were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 31 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #402 and #676.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Barry #441 in 1996, Bruce #472 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys31 shared years, 1964–2025
Barry held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Bruce in 3.
Highest recorded here: Barry #24 in 1983, Bruce #204 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Barry #402, Bruce #676.
England and Wales · Boys28 shared years, 1996–2024
Barry held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Bruce in 25.
Highest recorded here: Barry #441 in 1996, Bruce #472 in 1996.
The order changed in 2003: Bruce moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #824 and #869; by 2003 that had become #912 and #653.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Barry #3254, Bruce #898.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys20 shared years, 1952–1972
Barry held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Bruce in 20.
Highest recorded here: Barry #30 in 1952, Bruce #21 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1972: Barry #100, Bruce #95.
New Zealand · Boys19 shared years, 1954–1972
Barry held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Bruce in 19.
Highest recorded here: Barry #24 in 1955, Bruce #15 in 1955.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1972: Barry #73, Bruce #55.
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 | Barry | Bruce |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #402 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #676 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Barry and Bruce both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Barry
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #17 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1985 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #402 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Bruce
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #23 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 recorded1954–1980
Highest recorded position: #15 among boys in New Zealand, in 1955 (recorded 1954–1980).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys