Namewise

Brent vs Kevin

Brent and Kevincompared 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 1992, Brent was ranked #92 and Kevin #71 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1987, Brent was ranked #97 and Kevin #75 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2000, Brent was ranked #244 and Kevin #78 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Brent was ranked #3684 and Kevin #292 among boys in England and Wales.

Brent and Kevin over time

Brent and Kevin appear together in 3 published lists, across 75 years of shared records. Kevin held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Brent in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Kevin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Brent 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.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Brent and Kevin changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1974 and 1992, ending at #92 and #71.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 34 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Brent and Kevin averaged 21.2 places apart, ending at #97 and #75.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Brent and Kevin were both ranked in New Zealand · Boys for 34 years, from 1954 to 1987, ending at #97 and #75.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Brent #571 in 1998, Kevin #141 in 1996.

List by list

  • New Zealand · Boys34 shared years, 19541987

    Brent held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Kevin in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Brent #22 in 1968, Kevin #8 in 1954.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1987: Brent #97, Kevin #75.

  • England and Wales · Boys25 shared years, 19962025

    Brent held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Kevin in 25.

    Highest recorded here: Brent #571 in 1998, Kevin #141 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Brent #3684, Kevin #292.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys16 shared years, 19741992

    Brent held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Kevin in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Brent #72 in 1983, Kevin #70 in 1974.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1992: Brent #92, Kevin #71.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Brent, Kevin
FieldBrentKevin
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedAn Anglicized form of the Irish Caoimhín, combining Old Irish 'cóem' (dear, beloved, gentle) with 'gein' (birth) — 'beloved birth'. Associated with Saint Caoimhín, who founded a monastery at Glendalough in the 6th century.
OriginNot yet recordedIrish
Pronunciation/ˈkɛv.ɪn/
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Boys #3684 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #139 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Kevin has a recorded origin (Irish); Brent does not have one recorded yet.
  • Brent has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Kevin.
  • A meaning is recorded for Kevin; Brent doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, NZ.

How each name got here

Brent

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1954

    First recorded at #67 among boys in New Zealand in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New Zealand · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1954–1987

    Highest recorded position: #22 among boys in New Zealand, in 1968 (recorded 1954–1987).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #3684 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Kevin

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #26 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 recorded1954–1999

    Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1999).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #292 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys