Calum vs Charles
Calum 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Calum was ranked #1675 and Charles #119 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Calum was ranked #339 and Charles #144 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Calum was ranked #176 and Charles #160 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Calum was ranked #432 and Charles #188 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Calum and Charles over time
Calum and Charles appear together in 3 published lists, across 90 years of shared records. Charles held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Calum 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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.
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, Charles moved ahead of Calum in Northern Ireland · Boys — #192 and #266 the year before became #352 and #177.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Calum and Charles changed places 11 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #339 and #144.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 27 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Calum and Charles averaged 59.0 places apart, ending at #339 and #144.
- Longest-running competitions
Calum and Charles were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 34 years, from 1992 to 2025, ending at #432 and #188.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Calum #91 in 1996, Charles #41 in 1998.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys34 shared years, 1992–2025
Calum held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Charles in 26.
Highest recorded here: Calum #44 in 2006, Charles #83 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Calum #432, Charles #188.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Calum held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Charles in 29.
Highest recorded here: Calum #91 in 1996, Charles #41 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Calum #1675, Charles #119.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2024
Calum held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Charles in 15.
Highest recorded here: Calum #21 in 2006, Charles #75 in 2000.
The order changed in 2022: Charles moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #192 and #266; by 2022 that had become #352 and #177.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Calum #339, Charles #144.
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 | Calum | 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 | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #432 (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
- Calum and Charles both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Calum
Popularity journey
First recorded1992
First recorded at #298 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1992 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #21 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2006 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #432 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