Carl vs David
Carl and Davidcompared 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 1992, Carl was ranked #100 and David #14 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Carl was ranked #770 and David #47 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Carl was ranked #2263 and David #64 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2015, Carl was ranked #415 and David #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Carl was ranked #192 and David #88 among boys in Norway.
Carl and David over time
Carl and David appear together in 5 published lists, across 212 years of shared records. David held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Carl 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.
David reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Carl 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, David moved ahead of Carl in Norway · Boys — #142 and #165 the year before became #142 and #127.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Carl and David changed places 9 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2025, ending at #192 and #88.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 81 shared years in Norway · Boys, Carl and David averaged 58.4 places apart, ending at #192 and #88.
- Longest-running competitions
Carl and David were both ranked in New Zealand · Boys for 34 years, from 1959 to 1992, ending at #100 and #14.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Carl #116 in 1996, David #32 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Carl held the stronger position in 21 of those years, David in 60.
Highest recorded here: Carl #83 in 1990, David #31 in 2005.
The order changed in 1970: David moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #142 and #165; by 1970 that had become #142 and #127.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Carl #192, David #88.
Republic of Ireland · Boys54 shared years, 1964–2023
Carl held the stronger position in 0 of those years, David in 54.
Highest recorded here: Carl #97 in 1989, David #1 in 1985.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Carl #770, David #47.
New Zealand · Boys34 shared years, 1959–1992
Carl held the stronger position in 0 of those years, David in 34.
Highest recorded here: Carl #41 in 1981, David #1 in 1960.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1992: Carl #100, David #14.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Carl held the stronger position in 0 of those years, David in 29.
Highest recorded here: Carl #116 in 1996, David #32 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Carl #2263, David #64.
Northern Ireland · Boys14 shared years, 1997–2015
Carl held the stronger position in 0 of those years, David in 14.
Highest recorded here: Carl #130 in 1998, David #9 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Carl #415, David #64.
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 | Carl | David |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Commonly interpreted as 'beloved', with a possible secondary sense of 'uncle' for the root. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈdeɪvɪd/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #192 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #45 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- David has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Carl does not have one recorded yet.
- Carl has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for David.
- A meaning is recorded for David; Carl doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Carl
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #133 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1959–1992
Highest recorded position: #41 among boys in New Zealand, in 1981 (recorded 1959–1992).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #192 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
David
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #167 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2018
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1961 (recorded 1952–2018).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #88 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys