Brett vs Linus

Brett and Linuscompared 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.

England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Brett was ranked #4270 and Linus #3254 among boys in England and Wales.

Brett and Linus over time

Brett and Linus appear together in 1 published list, across 29 years of shared records. Brett held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Linus 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.

Brett reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Linus 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
Brett and Linus changed places 7 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #4270 and #3254.
Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Brett #159 in 1996, Linus #1000 in 1998.

List by list

England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Brett held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Linus in 8.
Highest recorded here: Brett #159 in 1996, Linus #1000 in 1998.
The order changed in 2023: Linus moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #3449 and #4789; by 2023 that had become #3523 and #2546.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Brett #4270, Linus #3254.

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 Brett

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

David vs Brett
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — David #1 in 1961, Brett #15 in 1963.
David · Brett · 38 shared years, 1955–1992 · Peaked in the same years
See the 1963 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Michael vs Brett
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Michael #1 in 1968, Brett #21 in 1967.
Michael · Brett · 37 shared years, 1954–1991 · Peaked in the same years
See the 1968 New Zealand ranking
Craig vs Brett
Across 37 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Craig and Brett averaged 8.3 places apart, ending at #97 and #82.
Craig · Brett · 37 shared years, 1955–1991 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1991 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Richard vs Brett
Across 38 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Richard and Brett averaged 10.0 places apart, ending at #67 and #90.
Richard · Brett · 38 shared years, 1955–1992 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1992 New South Wales, Australia ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Brett, Linus
Field	Brett	Linus
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	1	2
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ	GB-ENW, NO
Most recent popularity observation	England and Wales · Boys #4270 (2024)	Norway · Boys #87 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	94/100	94/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	60/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Brett has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Linus.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW.

How each name got here

Brett

Popularity journey

First recorded1954
First recorded at #95 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
Highest recorded1955–1992
Highest recorded position: #15 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1963 (recorded 1955–1992).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #4270 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys

Linus

Popularity journey

First recorded1987
First recorded at #580 among boys in Norway in 1987 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1987–2025
Highest recorded position: #49 among boys in Norway, in 2007 (recorded 1987–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #87 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys