Cathan vs Filip
Cathan and Filipcompared 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 2008, Cathan was ranked #4432 and Filip #175 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2004, Cathan was ranked #506 and Filip #390 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Cathan was ranked #395 and Filip #395 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Cathan and Filip over time
Cathan and Filip appear together in 1 published list, across 10 years of shared records. Filip held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Cathan in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Filip reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Cathan 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
Northern Ireland · Boys10 shared years, 2009–2023
Cathan held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Filip in 8.
Highest recorded here: Cathan #221 in 2022, Filip #152 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Cathan #395, Filip #395.
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 | Cathan | Filip |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Traditionally interpreted as 'lover of horses' or 'horse-friend'. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Greek, via Philip; Filip is the Scandinavian/Slavic form |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈfi.lip/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | Northern Ireland · Boys #278 (2024) | Norway · Boys #27 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Filip has a recorded origin (Greek, via Philip; Filip is the Scandinavian/Slavic form); Cathan does not have one recorded yet.
- Cathan and Filip both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Filip; Cathan doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Cathan
Popularity journey
First recorded1998
First recorded at #2074 among boys in England and Wales in 1998 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded2003–2024
Highest recorded position: #221 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2022 (recorded 2003–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #278 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2024.
Northern Ireland · Boys
Filip
Popularity journey
First recorded1962
First recorded at #489 among boys in Norway in 1962 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1962–2025
Highest recorded position: #13 among boys in Norway, in 2020 (recorded 1962–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #27 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys