Namewise

Barry vs Colin

Barry and Colincompared 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 1973, Barry was ranked #97 and Colin #68 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1972, Barry was ranked #73 and Colin #70 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Barry was ranked #402 and Colin #348 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2018, Barry was ranked #365 and Colin #416 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Barry was ranked #3254 and Colin #1000 among boys in England and Wales.

Barry and Colin over time

Barry and Colin appear together in 5 published lists, across 148 years of shared records. Colin held the stronger position in more years in 4 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.

Barry reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Colin 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 1993, Colin moved ahead of Barry in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #48 and #58 the year before became #65 and #60.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Barry and Colin changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 1972, ending at #73 and #70.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Barry and Colin averaged 18.3 places apart, ending at #97 and #68.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Barry and Colin were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #402 and #348.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Barry #441 in 1996, Colin #311 in 1997.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Barry held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Colin in 33.

    Highest recorded here: Barry #17 in 1985, Colin #38 in 1985.

    The order changed in 1993: Colin moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #48 and #58; by 1993 that had become #65 and #60.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Barry #402, Colin #348.

  • England and Wales · Boys28 shared years, 1996–2024

    Barry held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Colin in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Barry #441 in 1996, Colin #311 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Barry #3254, Colin #1000.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys21 shared years, 1952–1973

    Barry held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Colin in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Barry #30 in 1952, Colin #22 in 1952.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 1973: Barry #97, Colin #68.

  • New Zealand · Boys19 shared years, 1954–1972

    Barry held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Colin in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Barry #24 in 1955, Colin #25 in 1955.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 1972: Barry #73, Colin #70.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys18 shared years, 1997–2018

    Barry held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Colin in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Barry #90 in 1997, Colin #96 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2018: Barry #365, Colin #416.

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 Barry

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

Other comparisons involving Colin

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

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — moved together in several countries.

  • Christopher vs Paul

    Christopher and Paul both fell over the same years in 6 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Norway · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Christopher · Paul · 80 shared years, 1946–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Oliver vs Leo

    Oliver and Leo both rose over the same years in 6 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Norway · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Oliver · Leo · 63 shared years, 1959–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Leo vs Oscar

    Leo and Oscar both rose over the same years in 6 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Norway · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Leo · Oscar · 57 shared years, 1951–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Oliver vs Luca

    Oliver and Luca both rose over the same years in 6 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Norway · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Oliver · Luca · 43 shared years, 1973–2025 · Moved together in several countries

All moved together in several countries→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Barry, Colin
FieldBarryColin
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #402 (2025)Norway · Boys #119 (2025)
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 and Colin 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

  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

Colin

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #326 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1952–1983

    Highest recorded position: #22 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1983).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #119 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys