Barry vs Cathal
Barry and Cathalcompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Barry was ranked #402 and Cathal #90 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Barry was ranked #414 and Cathal #207 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2022, Barry was ranked #4001 and Cathal #3449 among boys in England and Wales.
Barry and Cathal over time
Barry and Cathal appear together in 3 published lists, across 106 years of shared records. Cathal held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Barry in 1.
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 Cathal 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 took the other's place near the top
In Republic of Ireland · Boys, Cathal moved into the top 50 at #47 in 1993 as Barry fell out of it to #65, having been #48 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1993, Cathal moved ahead of Barry in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #48 and #55 the year before became #65 and #47.
- Longest-running competitions
Barry and Cathal were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #402 and #90.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Barry #441 in 1996, Cathal #809 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Barry held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Cathal in 33.
Highest recorded here: Barry #17 in 1985, Cathal #31 in 1998.
The order changed in 1993: Cathal moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #48 and #55; by 1993 that had become #65 and #47.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Barry #402, Cathal #90.
England and Wales · Boys23 shared years, 1996–2022
Barry held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Cathal in 1.
Highest recorded here: Barry #441 in 1996, Cathal #809 in 1997.
The order changed in 2022: Cathal moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #2301 and #3990; by 2022 that had become #4001 and #3449.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Barry #4001, Cathal #3449.
Northern Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 1997–2022
Barry held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Cathal in 21.
Highest recorded here: Barry #90 in 1997, Cathal #78 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Barry #414, Cathal #207.
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 | Cathal |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #402 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #90 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Barry and Cathal both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
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
Cathal
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #96 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #31 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1998 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #90 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys