Namewise

Brian vs Paul

Brian 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 1981, Brian was ranked #81 and Paul #13 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1984, Brian was ranked #96 and Paul #22 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Brian was ranked #252 and Paul #286 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Brian was ranked #256 and Paul #278 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Brian was ranked #535 and Paul #290 among boys in Scotland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2024, Brian was ranked #441 and Paul #370 among boys in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Brian was ranked #573 and Paul #602 among boys in England and Wales.

Brian and Paul over time

Brian and Paul appear together in 6 published lists, across 252 years of shared records. Paul held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Brian in 0.

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, Paul 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 2022, Brian moved ahead of Paul in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #178 and #157 the year before became #192 and #205.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Brian and Paul changed places 7 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #256 and #278.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 33 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Brian and Paul averaged 36.1 places apart, ending at #96 and #22.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Brian and Paul were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #573 and #602.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Brian #251 in 1996, Paul #72 in 1996.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys72 shared years, 1945–2024

    Brian held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Paul in 64.

    Highest recorded here: Brian #213 in 2004, Paul #69 in 1951.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Brian #441, Paul #370.

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

    Brian held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Paul in 35.

    Highest recorded here: Brian #7 in 1977, Paul #3 in 1978.

    The order changed in 2022: Brian moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #178 and #157; by 2022 that had become #192 and #205.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Brian #252, Paul #286.

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

    Brian held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Paul in 33.

    Highest recorded here: Brian #13 in 1952, Paul #4 in 1966.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1984: Brian #96, Paul #22.

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

    Brian held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Paul in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Brian #251 in 1996, Paul #72 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2024: Brian moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #500 and #464; by 2024 that had become #538 and #586.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Brian #573, Paul #602.

  • New Zealand · Boys28 shared years, 1954–1981

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

    Highest recorded here: Brian #10 in 1954, Paul #3 in 1965.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1981: Brian #81, Paul #13.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2024

    Brian held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Paul in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Brian #75 in 1997, Paul #27 in 1997.

    The order changed in 2024: Brian moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #395 and #249; by 2024 that had become #256 and #278.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Brian #256, Paul #278.

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 Paul

Pairs where Paul 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 — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Brian, Paul
FieldBrianPaul
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.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.
OriginOld Irish / CelticLatin
Pronunciation/ˈbraɪən//ˈpɔːl/
Syllables11
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 #286 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Brian is recorded with a Old Irish / Celtic origin, while Paul is recorded with a Latin origin.
  • Brian and Paul both have 1 syllable.
  • Brian's recorded meaning differs from Paul'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

Paul

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1954–1998

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 1965 (recorded 1954–1998).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #602 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys