Namewise

Brian vs Kevin

Brian 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 1984, Brian was ranked #96 and Kevin #70 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1981, Brian was ranked #81 and Kevin #72 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Brian was ranked #252 and Kevin #139 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Brian was ranked #256 and Kevin #164 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Brian was ranked #372 and Kevin #186 among boys in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Brian was ranked #573 and Kevin #292 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Brian was ranked #535 and Kevin #432 among boys in Scotland.

Brian and Kevin over time

Brian and Kevin appear together in 6 published lists, across 246 years of shared records. Kevin held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Brian in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Brian reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Kevin in 1. 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 1982, Kevin moved ahead of Brian in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #75 and #84 the year before became #84 and #83.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Brian and Kevin changed places 15 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1952 and 1984, ending at #96 and #70.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 33 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Brian and Kevin averaged 5.8 places apart, ending at #96 and #70.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Brian and Kevin were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #573 and #292.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Brian #251 in 1996, Kevin #141 in 1996.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys67 shared years, 1953–2025

    Brian held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Kevin in 55.

    Highest recorded here: Brian #213 in 2004, Kevin #44 in 2002.

    The order changed in 1973: Kevin moved ahead. In 1972 they stood at #297 and #477; by 1973 that had become #365 and #245.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Brian #372, Kevin #186.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Brian held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Kevin in 37.

    Highest recorded here: Brian #7 in 1977, Kevin #11 in 1987.

    The order changed in 2009: Kevin moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #49 and #59; by 2009 that had become #69 and #51.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Brian #252, Kevin #139.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys33 shared years, 1952–1984

    Brian held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Kevin in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Brian #13 in 1952, Kevin #15 in 1956.

    The order changed in 1982: Kevin moved ahead. In 1981 they stood at #75 and #84; by 1982 that had become #84 and #83.

    Most recent shared year, 1984: Brian #96, Kevin #70.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Brian held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Kevin in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Brian #251 in 1996, Kevin #141 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Brian #573, Kevin #292.

  • New Zealand · Boys28 shared years, 1954–1981

    Brian held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Kevin in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Brian #10 in 1954, Kevin #8 in 1954.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1981: Brian #81, Kevin #72.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys26 shared years, 1997–2024

    Brian held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Kevin in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Brian #75 in 1997, Kevin #60 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Brian #256, Kevin #164.

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 Brian

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

Other comparisons involving Kevin

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

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1980s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1980 and 1989.

The 1980s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Brian, Kevin
FieldBrianKevin
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningThe meaning is explicitly uncertain; possibly connected to Celtic concepts of 'high, hill' or 'might, power' — no single settled meaning.An 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.
OriginOld Irish / CelticIrish
Pronunciation/ˈbraɪən//ˈkɛv.ɪn/
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #252 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #139 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Brian is recorded with a Old Irish / Celtic origin, while Kevin is recorded with a Irish origin.
  • Brian has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Kevin.
  • Brian's recorded meaning differs from Kevin's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Brian

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #296 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1977 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #573 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