Barry vs Malachi
Barry and Malachicompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2018, Barry was ranked #365 and Malachi #255 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Barry was ranked #3254 and Malachi #290 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Barry was ranked #402 and Malachi #577 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Barry and Malachi over time
Barry and Malachi appear together in 3 published lists, across 53 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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 1 of those lists, and Malachi 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.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Barry #36 in 1975, Malachi #290 in 1975.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys28 shared years, 1996–2024
Barry held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Malachi in 27.
Highest recorded here: Barry #441 in 1996, Malachi #191 in 2005.
The order changed in 1997: Malachi moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #441 and #489; by 1997 that had become #538 and #484.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Barry #3254, Malachi #290.
Republic of Ireland · Boys16 shared years, 1975–2025
Barry held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Malachi in 1.
Highest recorded here: Barry #36 in 1975, Malachi #290 in 1975.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Barry #402, Malachi #577.
Northern Ireland · Boys9 shared years, 2003–2018
Barry held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Malachi in 3.
Highest recorded here: Barry #172 in 2003, Malachi #210 in 2003.
The order changed in 2016: Malachi moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #314 and #415; by 2016 that had become #358 and #253.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Barry #365, Malachi #255.
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 | Malachi |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #402 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #577 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Barry has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Malachi.
- 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
Malachi
Popularity journey
First recorded1975
First recorded at #290 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1975 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #191 among boys in England and Wales, in 2005 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #577 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys