Bryce vs Stephen
Bryce and Stephencompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2007, Bryce was ranked #629 and Stephen #60 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2007, Bryce was ranked #315 and Stephen #76 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1997, Bryce was ranked #93 and Stephen #100 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Bryce was ranked #535 and Stephen #535 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Bryce was ranked #2088 and Stephen #651 among boys in England and Wales.
Bryce and Stephen over time
Bryce and Stephen appear together in 2 published lists, across 38 years of shared records. Stephen held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Bryce 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.
Stephen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Bryce in none. 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Bryce held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Stephen in 29.
Highest recorded here: Bryce #533 in 2001, Stephen #60 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bryce #2088, Stephen #651.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys9 shared years, 1989–1997
Bryce held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Stephen in 6.
Highest recorded here: Bryce #73 in 1995, Stephen #39 in 1989.
The order changed in 1995: Bryce moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #88 and #68; by 1995 that had become #73 and #76.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Bryce #93, Stephen #100.
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 | Bryce | Stephen |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | From Greek Stephanos, meaning 'crown, wreath' — literally 'that which surrounds'. Saint Stephen, a deacon stoned to death in the New Testament, is regarded as the first Christian martyr. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Greek |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈstiː.vən/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Steven, Stefan, Stephan |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Scotland · Boys #535 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Stephen has a recorded origin (Greek); Bryce does not have one recorded yet.
- Bryce and Stephen both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Stephen; Bryce doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
- The available evidence gives Bryce a "medium" Data Confidence level and Stephen a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Bryce
Popularity journey
First recorded1989
First recorded at #94 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1989 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1989–2000
Highest recorded position: #73 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1995 (recorded 1989–2000).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #5891 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls
Stephen
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #352 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1997
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1955 (recorded 1952–1997).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys