Bernard vs Philip
Bernard 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 1965, Bernard was ranked #94 and Philip #26 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1966, Bernard was ranked #89 and Philip #48 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Bernard was ranked #277 and Philip #91 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Bernard was ranked #509 and Philip #309 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Bernard was ranked #414 and Philip #311 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Bernard was ranked #613 and Philip #461 among boys in England and Wales.
Bernard and Philip over time
Bernard and Philip appear together in 6 published lists, across 166 years of shared records. Philip held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Bernard 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 3 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1966, Philip moved ahead of Bernard in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #34 and #37 the year before became #36 and #34.
- Longest-running competitions
Bernard and Philip were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 32 years, from 1958 to 2025, ending at #277 and #91.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Bernard #163 in 1998, Philip #51 in 1997.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1964 they stood at #33 and #36 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 3 places apart; by 2025 they were #509 and #309.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Bernard held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Philip in 60.
Highest recorded here: Bernard #33 in 1964, Philip #30 in 1978.
The order changed in 1966: Philip moved ahead. In 1965 they stood at #34 and #37; by 1966 that had become #36 and #34.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Bernard #509, Philip #309.
Norway · Boys32 shared years, 1958–2025
Bernard held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Philip in 31.
Highest recorded here: Bernard #200 in 2021, Philip #68 in 2013.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Bernard #277, Philip #91.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Bernard held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Philip in 29.
Highest recorded here: Bernard #613 in 2024, Philip #103 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bernard #613, Philip #461.
Northern Ireland · Boys18 shared years, 1997–2022
Bernard held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Philip in 17.
Highest recorded here: Bernard #163 in 1998, Philip #51 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Bernard #414, Philip #311.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys15 shared years, 1952–1966
Bernard held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Philip in 15.
Highest recorded here: Bernard #70 in 1953, Philip #29 in 1958.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1966: Bernard #89, Philip #48.
New Zealand · Boys10 shared years, 1954–1965
Bernard held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Philip in 10.
Highest recorded here: Bernard #79 in 1957, Philip #20 in 1963.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1965: Bernard #94, Philip #26.
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 | Bernard | Philip |
|---|---|---|
| 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, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #277 (2025) | Norway · Boys #91 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Bernard and Philip both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Bernard
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #84 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: #33 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #277 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Philip
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1954–1992
Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New Zealand, in 1963 (recorded 1954–1992).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #91 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys