Bradley vs Paul
Bradley and Paulcompared 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 1998, Bradley was ranked #28 and Paul #86 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1998, Bradley was ranked #40 and Paul #86 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Bradley was ranked #246 and Paul #290 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Bradley was ranked #404 and Paul #278 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Bradley was ranked #372 and Paul #286 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Bradley was ranked #364 and Paul #586 among boys in England and Wales.
Bradley and Paul over time
Bradley and Paul appear together in 5 published lists, across 156 years of shared records. Paul held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Bradley 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.
Paul reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Bradley 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 took the other's place near the top
In New Zealand · Boys, Bradley moved into the top 50 at #43 in 1992 as Paul fell out of it to #53, having been #50 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1989, Bradley moved ahead of Paul in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #32 and #29 the year before became #28 and #42.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Bradley and Paul changed places 4 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #404 and #278.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 42 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Bradley and Paul averaged 25.1 places apart, ending at #40 and #86.
- Longest-running competitions
Bradley and Paul were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 42 years, from 1956 to 1998, ending at #40 and #86.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Bradley #28 in 1997, Paul #72 in 1996.
List by list
New South Wales, Australia · Boys42 shared years, 1956–1998
Bradley held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Paul in 33.
Highest recorded here: Bradley #19 in 1976, Paul #4 in 1966.
The order changed in 1989: Bradley moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #32 and #29; by 1989 that had become #28 and #42.
Most recent shared year, 1998: Bradley #40, Paul #86.
Republic of Ireland · Boys33 shared years, 1987–2025
Bradley held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Paul in 33.
Highest recorded here: Bradley #130 in 2015, Paul #7 in 1987.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Bradley #372, Paul #286.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Bradley held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Paul in 0.
Highest recorded here: Bradley #28 in 1997, Paul #72 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bradley #364, Paul #586.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2024
Bradley held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Paul in 25.
Highest recorded here: Bradley #68 in 1998, Paul #27 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bradley #404, Paul #278.
New Zealand · Boys25 shared years, 1973–1998
Bradley held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Paul in 18.
Highest recorded here: Bradley #28 in 1998, Paul #6 in 1973.
The order changed in 1992: Bradley moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #52 and #50; by 1992 that had become #43 and #53.
Most recent shared year, 1998: Bradley #28, Paul #86.
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 | Bradley | Paul |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | From the Roman name Paulus, meaning 'small' in Latin. Saint Paul, originally named Saul, converted to Christianity and became a key missionary figure, authoring several New Testament epistles. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Latin |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈpɔːl/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| 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 #372 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #286 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Paul has a recorded origin (Latin); Bradley does not have one recorded yet.
- Bradley has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Paul.
- A meaning is recorded for Paul; Bradley doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Bradley
Popularity journey
First recorded1956
First recorded at #83 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1956 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1956–2003
Highest recorded position: #19 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1976 (recorded 1956–2003).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #372 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Paul
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #73 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1998
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 1965 (recorded 1954–1998).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #286 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys