Bryan vs Charles
Bryan and Charlescompared 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 1963, Bryan was ranked #94 and Charles #76 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1970, Bryan was ranked #87 and Charles #97 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Bryan was ranked #486 and Charles #119 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Bryan was ranked #305 and Charles #144 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Bryan was ranked #330 and Charles #160 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Bryan was ranked #372 and Charles #188 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Bryan and Charles over time
Bryan and Charles appear together in 4 published lists, across 125 years of shared records. Charles held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Bryan in 0.
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.
Charles reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Bryan 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 1970, Bryan moved ahead of Charles in New Zealand · Boys — #99 and #92 the year before became #87 and #97.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Bryan and Charles changed places 9 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 1970, ending at #87 and #97.
- Longest-running competitions
Bryan and Charles were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #372 and #188.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Bryan held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Charles in 43.
Highest recorded here: Bryan #78 in 1985, Charles #43 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Bryan #372, Charles #188.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Bryan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Charles in 29.
Highest recorded here: Bryan #442 in 2005, Charles #41 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bryan #486, Charles #119.
Northern Ireland · Boys18 shared years, 1997–2024
Bryan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Charles in 18.
Highest recorded here: Bryan #179 in 1997, Charles #75 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bryan #305, Charles #144.
New Zealand · Boys16 shared years, 1954–1970
Bryan held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Charles in 11.
Highest recorded here: Bryan #64 in 1957, Charles #59 in 1954.
The order changed in 1970: Bryan moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #99 and #92; by 1970 that had become #87 and #97.
Most recent shared year, 1970: Bryan #87, Charles #97.
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 | Bryan | Charles |
|---|---|---|
| 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, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #372 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #94 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 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
- Bryan has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Charles.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Bryan
Popularity journey
First recorded1954
First recorded at #74 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 recorded1954–1970
Highest recorded position: #64 among boys in New Zealand, in 1957 (recorded 1954–1970).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #372 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Charles
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #224 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #41 among boys in England and Wales, in 1998 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #94 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys