Cathal vs Paul
Cathal and Paulcompared 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 2025, Cathal was ranked #90 and Paul #286 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Cathal was ranked #136 and Paul #278 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2022, Cathal was ranked #3449 and Paul #472 among boys in England and Wales.
Cathal and Paul over time
Cathal and Paul appear together in 3 published lists, across 113 years of shared records. Paul held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Cathal in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Paul reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Cathal 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.
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 2019, Cathal moved ahead of Paul in Northern Ireland · Boys — #204 and #151 the year before became #185 and #209.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Cathal and Paul changed places 5 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #136 and #278.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Cathal and Paul averaged 50.9 places apart, ending at #136 and #278.
- Longest-running competitions
Cathal and Paul were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #90 and #286.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Cathal #809 in 1997, Paul #72 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Cathal held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Paul in 35.
Highest recorded here: Cathal #31 in 1998, Paul #3 in 1978.
The order changed in 2000: Cathal moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #42 and #39; by 2000 that had become #35 and #40.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Cathal #90, Paul #286.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Cathal held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Paul in 19.
Highest recorded here: Cathal #78 in 1997, Paul #27 in 1997.
The order changed in 2019: Cathal moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #204 and #151; by 2019 that had become #185 and #209.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Cathal #136, Paul #278.
England and Wales · Boys23 shared years, 1996–2022
Cathal held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Paul in 23.
Highest recorded here: Cathal #809 in 1997, Paul #72 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Cathal #3449, Paul #472.
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 | Cathal | Paul |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | From the Roman name Paulus, meaning 'small' in Latin. Saint Paul, originally named Saul, converted to Christianity and became a key missionary figure, authoring several New Testament epistles. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Latin |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈpɔːl/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #90 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #286 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Paul has a recorded origin (Latin); Cathal does not have one recorded yet.
- Cathal has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Paul.
- A meaning is recorded for Paul; Cathal doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Cathal
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #96 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #31 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1998 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #90 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Paul
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #73 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1998
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 1965 (recorded 1954–1998).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #286 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys