Barry vs Garry
Barry and Garrycompared 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 1966, Barry was ranked #62 and Garry #100 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1973, Barry was ranked #97 and Garry #83 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2002, Barry was ranked #157 and Garry #281 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2009, Barry was ranked #220 and Garry #701 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2022, Barry was ranked #4001 and Garry #3048 among boys in England and Wales.
Barry and Garry over time
Barry and Garry appear together in 4 published lists, across 104 years of shared records. Barry held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Garry 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.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Barry and Garry averaged 14.4 places apart, ending at #97 and #83.
- Longest-running competitions
Barry and Garry were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 45 years, from 1964 to 2009, ending at #220 and #701.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Barry #441 in 1996, Garry #573 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys45 shared years, 1964–2009
Barry held the stronger position in 45 of those years, Garry in 0.
Highest recorded here: Barry #17 in 1985, Garry #79 in 1980.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2009: Barry #220, Garry #701.
England and Wales · Boys25 shared years, 1996–2022
Barry held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Garry in 2.
Highest recorded here: Barry #441 in 1996, Garry #573 in 1996.
The order changed in 2022: Garry moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #2404 and #3848; by 2022 that had become #4001 and #3048.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Barry #4001, Garry #3048.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys21 shared years, 1952–1973
Barry held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Garry in 21.
Highest recorded here: Barry #30 in 1952, Garry #15 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1973: Barry #97, Garry #83.
New Zealand · Boys13 shared years, 1954–1966
Barry held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Garry in 0.
Highest recorded here: Barry #24 in 1955, Garry #38 in 1955.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1966: Barry #62, Garry #100.
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 | Garry |
|---|---|---|
| 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) | Scotland · Boys #727 (2024) |
| 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 Garry 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
Garry
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #19 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 recorded1952–1974
Highest recorded position: #15 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1954 (recorded 1952–1974).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2023
Most recently recorded at #4991 among boys in England and Wales, in 2023.
England and Wales · Boys