Brian vs Raymond
Brian and Raymondcompared 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 Raymond #78 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1984, Brian was ranked #96 and Raymond #79 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Brian was ranked #252 and Raymond #509 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2008, Brian was ranked #258 and Raymond #487 among boys in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Brian was ranked #395 and Raymond #395 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Brian was ranked #538 and Raymond #545 among boys in England and Wales.
Brian and Raymond over time
Brian and Raymond appear together in 6 published lists, across 220 years of shared records. Brian held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Raymond in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Raymond reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Brian 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 1984, Raymond moved ahead of Brian in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #84 and #100 the year before became #96 and #79.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 32 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Brian and Raymond averaged 12.7 places apart, ending at #96 and #79.
- Longest-running competitions
Brian and Raymond were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 32 years, from 1952 to 1984, ending at #96 and #79.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Brian #251 in 1996, Raymond #312 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1964–2025
Brian held the stronger position in 61 of those years, Raymond in 0.
Highest recorded here: Brian #7 in 1977, Raymond #29 in 1969.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Brian #252, Raymond #509.
Norway · Boys54 shared years, 1945–2008
Brian held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Raymond in 43.
Highest recorded here: Brian #230 in 2000, Raymond #60 in 1978.
The order changed in 1997: Brian moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #283 and #257; by 1997 that had become #233 and #349.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Brian #258, Raymond #487.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys32 shared years, 1952–1984
Brian held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Raymond in 1.
Highest recorded here: Brian #13 in 1952, Raymond #17 in 1952.
The order changed in 1984: Raymond moved ahead. In 1983 they stood at #84 and #100; by 1984 that had become #96 and #79.
Most recent shared year, 1984: Brian #96, Raymond #79.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Brian held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Raymond in 0.
Highest recorded here: Brian #251 in 1996, Raymond #312 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Brian #538, Raymond #545.
New Zealand · Boys28 shared years, 1954–1981
Brian held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Raymond in 6.
Highest recorded here: Brian #10 in 1954, Raymond #28 in 1955.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1981: Brian #81, Raymond #78.
Northern Ireland · Boys16 shared years, 1997–2023
Brian held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Raymond in 0.
Highest recorded here: Brian #75 in 1997, Raymond #143 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Brian #395, Raymond #395.
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 | Brian | Raymond |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | The meaning is explicitly uncertain; possibly connected to Celtic concepts of 'high, hill' or 'might, power' — no single settled meaning. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Old Irish / Celtic | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈbraɪən/ | |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #252 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #509 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Brian has a recorded origin (Old Irish / Celtic); Raymond does not have one recorded yet.
- Brian has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Raymond.
- A meaning is recorded for Brian; Raymond doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Brian
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1977 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #372 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Raymond
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #265 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1991
Highest recorded position: #17 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1991).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #509 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys