Brett vs Philip
Brett 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 1991, Brett was ranked #324 and Philip #42 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1988, Brett was ranked #48 and Philip #98 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1989, Brett was ranked #88 and Philip #76 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2008, Brett was ranked #328 and Philip #187 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Brett was ranked #4270 and Philip #461 among boys in England and Wales.
Brett and Philip over time
Brett and Philip appear together in 4 published lists, across 106 years of shared records. Philip held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Brett in 1.
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.
Philip reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Brett 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 1959, Brett moved ahead of Philip in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #50 and #29 the year before became #32 and #33.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Brett and Philip changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 1989, ending at #88 and #76.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 33 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Brett and Philip averaged 36.8 places apart, ending at #48 and #98.
- Longest-running competitions
Brett and Philip were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 33 years, from 1955 to 1988, ending at #48 and #98.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Brett #159 in 1996, Philip #103 in 1996.
List by list
New Zealand · Boys36 shared years, 1954–1989
Brett held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Philip in 32.
Highest recorded here: Brett #21 in 1967, Philip #20 in 1963.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1989: Brett #88, Philip #76.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys33 shared years, 1955–1988
Brett held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Philip in 4.
Highest recorded here: Brett #15 in 1963, Philip #29 in 1958.
The order changed in 1959: Brett moved ahead. In 1958 they stood at #50 and #29; by 1959 that had become #32 and #33.
Most recent shared year, 1988: Brett #48, Philip #98.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Brett held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Philip in 29.
Highest recorded here: Brett #159 in 1996, Philip #103 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Brett #4270, Philip #461.
Northern Ireland · Boys8 shared years, 1997–2008
Brett held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Philip in 8.
Highest recorded here: Brett #190 in 1998, Philip #51 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Brett #328, Philip #187.
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 | Brett | 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 | 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #4270 (2024) | Norway · Boys #91 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Brett has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Philip.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
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
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