Carl vs Joseph
Carl and Josephcompared 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 Joseph #25 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2015, Carl was ranked #415 and Joseph #30 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Carl was ranked #2263 and Joseph #56 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Carl was ranked #770 and Joseph #66 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Carl was ranked #192 and Joseph #465 among boys in Norway.
Carl and Joseph over time
Carl and Joseph appear together in 5 published lists, across 200 years of shared records. Joseph held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Carl in 1.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Carl reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Joseph in 2. 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
Carl and Joseph changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1959 and 1992, ending at #100 and #25.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 34 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Carl and Joseph averaged 26.6 places apart, ending at #100 and #25.
- Longest-running competitions
Carl and Joseph were both ranked in New Zealand · Boys for 34 years, from 1959 to 1992, ending at #100 and #25.
List by list
Norway · Boys69 shared years, 1949–2025
Carl held the stronger position in 69 of those years, Joseph in 0.
Highest recorded here: Carl #83 in 1990, Joseph #272 in 1985.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Carl #192, Joseph #465.
Republic of Ireland · Boys54 shared years, 1964–2023
Carl held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Joseph in 54.
Highest recorded here: Carl #97 in 1989, Joseph #11 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Carl #770, Joseph #66.
New Zealand · Boys34 shared years, 1959–1992
Carl held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Joseph in 27.
Highest recorded here: Carl #41 in 1981, Joseph #18 in 1988.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1992: Carl #100, Joseph #25.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Carl held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Joseph in 29.
Highest recorded here: Carl #116 in 1996, Joseph #7 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Carl #2263, Joseph #56.
Northern Ireland · Boys14 shared years, 1997–2015
Carl held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Joseph in 14.
Highest recorded here: Carl #130 in 1998, Joseph #27 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Carl #415, Joseph #30.
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.
Where to go next
Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.
Other comparisons involving Joseph
Pairs where Joseph shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Joseph vs Brendan
In 1964 they stood at #11 and #17 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 6 places apart; by 2025 they were #64 and #402.
Joseph · Brendan · 62 shared years, 1964–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Joseph vs Noel
In 1964 they stood at #11 and #20 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 9 places apart; by 2025 they were #64 and #402.
Joseph · Noel · 62 shared years, 1964–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Joseph vs Ross
In 1997 they stood at #36 and #30 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 6 places apart; by 2023 they were #76 and #395.
Joseph · Ross · 27 shared years, 1997–2023 · Started together, ended far apart
- Joseph vs Timothy
Over 52 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Joseph rose about as far as Timothy fell — from #66 and #61 in 1954 to #27 and #100 in 2005.
Joseph · Timothy · 52 shared years, 1954–2005 · Mirrored each other
Side by side
| Field | Carl | Joseph |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| 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) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #33 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Carl has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Joseph.
- 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
Joseph
Popularity journey
First recorded1949
First recorded at #326 among boys in Norway in 1949 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in England and Wales, in 2000 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #33 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys