Billy vs Hugo
Billy and Hugocompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Billy was ranked #44 and Hugo #18 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Billy was ranked #86 and Hugo #23 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Billy was ranked #39 and Hugo #42 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Billy was ranked #127 and Hugo #46 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Billy was ranked #256 and Hugo #81 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Billy was ranked #234 and Hugo #135 among boys in Scotland.
Billy and Hugo over time
Billy and Hugo appear together in 3 published lists, across 89 years of shared records. Billy held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Hugo in 1.
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.
Billy reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Hugo 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2012, Hugo moved ahead of Billy in England and Wales · Boys — #106 and #139 the year before became #110 and #88.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Billy and Hugo changed places 9 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 2000 and 2024, ending at #256 and #81.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 39 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Billy and Hugo averaged 39.5 places apart, ending at #39 and #42.
- Mirrored each other
Over 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Hugo rose about as far as Billy fell — from #71 and #216 in 1996 to #127 and #46 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
Billy and Hugo were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 39 years, from 1977 to 2025, ending at #39 and #42.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Billy #39 in 2025, Hugo #42 in 2025.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys39 shared years, 1977–2025
Billy held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Hugo in 4.
Highest recorded here: Billy #39 in 2025, Hugo #42 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Billy #39, Hugo #42.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Billy held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Hugo in 13.
Highest recorded here: Billy #68 in 1998, Hugo #45 in 2021.
The order changed in 2012: Hugo moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #106 and #139; by 2012 that had become #110 and #88.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Billy #127, Hugo #46.
Northern Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 2000–2024
Billy held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Hugo in 12.
Highest recorded here: Billy #169 in 2015, Hugo #67 in 2023.
The order changed in 2016: Hugo moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #169 and #237; by 2016 that had become #232 and #195.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Billy #256, Hugo #81.
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 | Billy | Hugo |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | ||
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #39 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #18 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Billy and Hugo both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Billy
Popularity journey
First recorded1970
First recorded at #305 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1970 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1970–2025
Highest recorded position: #39 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025 (recorded 1970–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #44 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Hugo
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #186 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded2009–2025
Highest recorded position: #18 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025 (recorded 2009–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #18 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys