Namewise

Barry vs Graham

Barry and Grahamcompared 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 Graham #72 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1972, Barry was ranked #73 and Graham #74 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2009, Barry was ranked #262 and Graham #329 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2023, Barry was ranked #584 and Graham #770 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Barry was ranked #3254 and Graham #5119 among boys in England and Wales.

Barry and Graham over time

Barry and Graham appear together in 5 published lists, across 130 years of shared records. Graham held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Barry in 2.

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.

Graham reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Barry in 1. 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.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Barry and Graham changed places 9 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #3254 and #5119.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Barry and Graham averaged 15.3 places apart, ending at #97 and #72.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Barry and Graham were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 54 years, from 1964 to 2023, ending at #584 and #770.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Barry #441 in 1996, Graham #341 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys54 shared years, 19642023

    Barry held the stronger position in 52 of those years, Graham in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Barry #17 in 1985, Graham #52 in 1984.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Barry #584, Graham #770.

  • England and Wales · Boys28 shared years, 19962024

    Barry held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Graham in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Barry #441 in 1996, Graham #341 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2024: Barry moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #4001 and #2165; by 2024 that had become #3254 and #5119.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Barry #3254, Graham #5119.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys21 shared years, 19521973

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

    Highest recorded here: Barry #30 in 1952, Graham #20 in 1952.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1973: Barry #97, Graham #72.

  • New Zealand · Boys19 shared years, 19541972

    Barry held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Graham in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Barry #24 in 1955, Graham #23 in 1954.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1972: Barry #73, Graham #74.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys8 shared years, 19972009

    Barry held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Graham in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Barry #90 in 1997, Graham #137 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2009: Barry #262, Graham #329.

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, Graham
FieldBarryGraham
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Pronunciation
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #402 (2025)Scotland · Boys #727 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Barry and Graham 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

Graham

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #20 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 recorded1952–1979

    Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1979).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #5119 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Boys