Namewise

Barry vs Philip

Barry and Philipcompared 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 1972, Barry was ranked #73 and Philip #36 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1973, Barry was ranked #97 and Philip #66 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Barry was ranked #402 and Philip #309 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2022, Barry was ranked #414 and Philip #311 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Barry was ranked #3684 and Philip #549 among boys in England and Wales.

Barry and Philip over time

Barry and Philip appear together in 5 published lists, across 152 years of shared records. Philip held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Barry in 0.

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 2 of those lists, Philip 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.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1957, Philip moved ahead of Barry in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #32 and #35 the year before became #35 and #34.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Barry and Philip changed places 10 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #402 and #309.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Barry and Philip averaged 13.3 places apart, ending at #97 and #66.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Barry and Philip were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #402 and #309.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Barry #441 in 1996, Philip #103 in 1996.

List by list

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

    Barry held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Philip in 40.

    Highest recorded here: Barry #17 in 1985, Philip #30 in 1978.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Barry #402, Philip #309.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2025

    Barry held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Philip in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Barry #441 in 1996, Philip #103 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Barry #3684, Philip #549.

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

    Barry held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Philip in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Barry #30 in 1952, Philip #29 in 1958.

    The order changed in 1957: Philip moved ahead. In 1956 they stood at #32 and #35; by 1957 that had become #35 and #34.

    Most recent shared year, 1973: Barry #97, Philip #66.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 1997–2022

    Barry held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Philip in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Barry #90 in 1997, Philip #51 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Barry #414, Philip #311.

  • New Zealand · Boys19 shared years, 1954–1972

    Barry held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Philip in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Barry #24 in 1955, Philip #20 in 1963.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1972: Barry #73, Philip #36.

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 Philip

Pairs where Philip 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 — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1970s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1970 and 1979.

The 1970s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Barry, Philip
FieldBarryPhilip
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, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #402 (2025)Norway · Boys #91 (2025)
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 Philip 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 #3684 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Philip

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1948

    First recorded at #341 among boys in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1954–1992

    Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New Zealand, in 1963 (recorded 1954–1992).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #549 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys