Basil vs Graham

Basil 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.

Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 1986, Basil was ranked #317 and Graham #54 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Basil was ranked #1282 and Graham #5119 among boys in England and Wales.

Basil and Graham over time

Basil and Graham appear together in 2 published lists, across 40 years of shared records. Graham held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Basil 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.

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.

Repeatedly exchanged positions
Basil and Graham changed places 11 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #1282 and #5119.

List by list

England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Basil held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Graham in 17.
Highest recorded here: Basil #1023 in 2021, Graham #341 in 1996.
The order changed in 2024: Basil moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #1906 and #1533; by 2024 that had become #1282 and #5119.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Basil #1282, Graham #5119.
Republic of Ireland · Boys11 shared years, 1964–1986
Basil held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Graham in 11.
Highest recorded here: Basil #185 in 1966, Graham #54 in 1978.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1986: Basil #317, Graham #54.

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 Graham

Pairs where Graham shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Benjamin vs Graham
In 1964 they stood at #139 and #129 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 10 places apart; by 2023 they were #71 and #770.
Benjamin · Graham · 54 shared years, 1964–2023 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2023 Republic of Ireland ranking
Samuel vs Graham
In 1964 they stood at #119 and #129 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 10 places apart; by 2023 they were #90 and #770.
Samuel · Graham · 54 shared years, 1964–2023 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2023 Republic of Ireland ranking
Jude vs Graham
In 1965 they stood at #129 and #137 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 8 places apart; by 2023 they were #95 and #770.
Jude · Graham · 44 shared years, 1965–2023 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2023 Republic of Ireland ranking
Graham vs Marcus
In 1964 they stood at #129 and #136 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 7 places apart; by 2023 they were #770 and #172.
Graham · Marcus · 54 shared years, 1964–2023 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2023 Republic of Ireland ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Basil, Graham
Field	Basil	Graham
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	GB-ENW, IE	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	England and Wales · Boys #1282 (2024)	Scotland · Boys #727 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	94/100	88/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	60/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Basil and Graham both have 2 syllables.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.

How each name got here

Basil

Popularity journey

First recorded1964
First recorded at #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2020
Highest recorded position: #185 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1966 (recorded 1964–2020).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1282 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys

Graham

Popularity journey

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
Highest recorded1952–1979
Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1979).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #5119 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys