Barry vs Nelson

Barry and Nelsoncompared 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 2017, Barry was ranked #443 and Nelson #710 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Barry was ranked #3254 and Nelson #1402 among boys in England and Wales.

Barry and Nelson over time

Barry and Nelson appear together in 2 published lists, across 36 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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.

Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Barry #441 in 1996, Nelson #589 in 1997.

List by list

England and Wales · Boys28 shared years, 1996–2024
Barry held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Nelson in 19.
Highest recorded here: Barry #441 in 1996, Nelson #589 in 1997.
The order changed in 2005: Nelson moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #815 and #1222; by 2005 that had become #1617 and #1014.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Barry #3254, Nelson #1402.
Republic of Ireland · Boys8 shared years, 2003–2017
Barry held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Nelson in 0.
Highest recorded here: Barry #123 in 2004, Nelson #375 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Barry #443, Nelson #710.

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.

Gregory vs Barry
In 1964 they stood at #78 and #69 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 9 places apart; by 2025 they were #829 and #402.
Gregory · Barry · 60 shared years, 1964–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2025 Republic of Ireland ranking
Oliver vs Barry
In 1997 they stood at #100 and #90 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 10 places apart; by 2022 they were #6 and #414.
Oliver · Barry · 21 shared years, 1997–2022 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2022 Northern Ireland ranking
Oisin vs Barry
In 1997 they stood at #81 and #90 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 9 places apart; by 2022 they were #7 and #414.
Oisin · Barry · 21 shared years, 1997–2022 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2022 Northern Ireland ranking
Harry vs Barry
In 1997 they stood at #87 and #90 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 3 places apart; by 2022 they were #8 and #414.
Harry · Barry · 21 shared years, 1997–2022 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2022 Northern Ireland ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Barry, Nelson
Field	Barry	Nelson
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, IE
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Boys #402 (2025)	England and Wales · Boys #1402 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	94/100	88/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	60/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Barry and Nelson both have 2 syllables.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, 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

Nelson

Popularity journey

First recorded1996
First recorded at #853 among boys in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded2003–2017
Highest recorded position: #375 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2003 (recorded 2003–2017).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1402 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys