Carter vs Pat

Carter and Patcompared 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 2023, Carter was ranked #86 and Pat #4991 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2020, Carter was ranked #96 and Pat #392 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Carter was ranked #179 and Pat #785 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Carter and Pat over time

Carter and Pat appear together in 1 published list, across 12 years of shared records. Carter held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Pat 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.

Pat reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Carter 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

Republic of Ireland · Boys12 shared years, 2009–2024
Carter held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Pat in 1.
Highest recorded here: Carter #134 in 2017, Pat #472 in 2009.
The order changed in 2010: Carter moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #604 and #472; by 2010 that had become #542 and #720.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Carter #179, Pat #785.

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 Carter

Pairs where Carter shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Tom vs Carter
Tom and Carter changed places 13 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #60 and #114.
Tom · Carter · 28 shared years, 1997–2024 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 2024 Northern Ireland ranking
Charlie vs Carter
Charlie and Carter both rose over the same years in 3 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Charlie · Carter · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Moved together in several countries
George vs Carter
George and Carter both rose over the same years in 3 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
George · Carter · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Moved together in several countries
Leo vs Carter
Leo and Carter both rose over the same years in 3 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Leo · Carter · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Moved together in several countries

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Carter, Pat
Field	Carter	Pat
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	1
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ	GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE
Most recent popularity observation	New South Wales, Australia · Boys #70 (2025)	Republic of Ireland · Boys #785 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	88/100	95/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Carter has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Pat.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.

How each name got here

Carter

Popularity journey

First recorded1996
First recorded at #755 among boys in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded2006–2023
Highest recorded position: #21 among boys in New Zealand, in 2015 (recorded 2006–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #70 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys

Pat

Popularity journey

First recorded1981
First recorded at #322 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1981 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1981–2024
Highest recorded position: #322 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1981 (recorded 1981–2024).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #785 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2024.
Republic of Ireland · Boys