Bruce vs Colin
Bruce and Colincompared 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 1972, Bruce was ranked #95 and Colin #63 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1975, Bruce was ranked #81 and Colin #99 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2007, Bruce was ranked #357 and Colin #189 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Bruce was ranked #676 and Colin #348 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Bruce was ranked #898 and Colin #1000 among boys in England and Wales.
Bruce and Colin over time
Bruce and Colin appear together in 4 published lists, across 102 years of shared records. Colin held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Bruce 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.
Bruce reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Colin 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Bruce and Colin changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #898 and #1000.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Bruce and Colin averaged 6.5 places apart, ending at #95 and #63.
- Longest-running competitions
Bruce and Colin were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 31 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #676 and #348.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Bruce #472 in 1996, Colin #311 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys31 shared years, 1964–2025
Bruce held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Colin in 29.
Highest recorded here: Bruce #204 in 1964, Colin #45 in 1979.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Bruce #676, Colin #348.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Bruce held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Colin in 14.
Highest recorded here: Bruce #472 in 1996, Colin #311 in 1997.
The order changed in 2013: Bruce moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #754 and #754; by 2013 that had become #603 and #850.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bruce #898, Colin #1000.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys21 shared years, 1952–1972
Bruce held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Colin in 17.
Highest recorded here: Bruce #21 in 1954, Colin #22 in 1952.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1972: Bruce #95, Colin #63.
New Zealand · Boys21 shared years, 1954–1975
Bruce held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Colin in 0.
Highest recorded here: Bruce #15 in 1955, Colin #25 in 1955.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1975: Bruce #81, Colin #99.
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 | Bruce | Colin |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #676 (2025) | Norway · Boys #119 (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 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Bruce and Colin both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Bruce
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #23 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
Highest recorded1954–1980
Highest recorded position: #15 among boys in New Zealand, in 1955 (recorded 1954–1980).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Colin
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #326 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1983
Highest recorded position: #22 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1983).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #119 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys