Charles vs David
Charles 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Charles was ranked #188 and David #45 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2018, Charles was ranked #63 and David #97 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Charles was ranked #119 and David #64 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Charles was ranked #160 and David #71 among boys in Scotland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2020, Charles was ranked #87 and David #84 among boys in New Zealand.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Charles was ranked #455 and David #88 among boys in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Charles was ranked #144 and David #104 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Charles and David over time
Charles and David appear together in 6 published lists, across 287 years of shared records. David held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Charles 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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 3 of the lists they share.
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 2011, Charles moved ahead of David in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #86 and #85 the year before became #74 and #76.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Charles and David changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #119 and #64.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Charles and David averaged 16.2 places apart, ending at #119 and #64.
- Longest-running competitions
Charles and David were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 47 years, from 1952 to 2018, ending at #63 and #97.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Charles #41 in 1998, David #32 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys65 shared years, 1945–2025
Charles held the stronger position in 0 of those years, David in 65.
Highest recorded here: Charles #177 in 1949, David #31 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charles #455, David #88.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Charles held the stronger position in 0 of those years, David in 62.
Highest recorded here: Charles #43 in 1964, David #1 in 1985.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charles #188, David #45.
New Zealand · Boys56 shared years, 1954–2020
Charles held the stronger position in 7 of those years, David in 49.
Highest recorded here: Charles #58 in 2008, David #1 in 1960.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Charles #87, David #84.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys47 shared years, 1952–2018
Charles held the stronger position in 8 of those years, David in 39.
Highest recorded here: Charles #57 in 1952, David #1 in 1961.
The order changed in 2011: Charles moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #86 and #85; by 2011 that had become #74 and #76.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Charles #63, David #97.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Charles held the stronger position in 9 of those years, David in 20.
Highest recorded here: Charles #41 in 1998, David #32 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Charles #119, David #64.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Charles held the stronger position in 0 of those years, David in 28.
Highest recorded here: Charles #75 in 2000, David #9 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Charles #144, David #104.
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 | Charles | 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 | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #94 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #45 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 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); Charles does not have one recorded yet.
- Charles and David both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for David; Charles doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Charles
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #224 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #41 among boys in England and Wales, in 1998 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #94 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · 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