Charles vs Edward
Charles and Edwardcompared 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 2024, Charles was ranked #119 and Edward #31 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2021, Charles was ranked #72 and Edward #56 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Charles was ranked #94 and Edward #75 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Charles was ranked #188 and Edward #125 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Charles was ranked #144 and Edward #177 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Charles was ranked #160 and Edward #181 among boys in Scotland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Charles was ranked #455 and Edward #189 among boys in Norway.
Charles and Edward over time
Charles and Edward appear together in 6 published lists, across 279 years of shared records. Edward held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Charles in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Charles reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Edward 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2001, Edward moved ahead of Charles in England and Wales · Boys — #44 and #45 the year before became #50 and #44.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Charles and Edward changed places 8 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1952 and 2025, ending at #94 and #75.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Charles and Edward averaged 28.7 places apart, ending at #119 and #31.
- Longest-running competitions
Charles and Edward were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 51 years, from 1952 to 2025, ending at #94 and #75.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Charles #43 in 1964, Edward #17 in 1965.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Charles held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Edward in 58.
Highest recorded here: Charles #43 in 1964, Edward #17 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charles #188, Edward #125.
Norway · Boys57 shared years, 1950–2025
Charles held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Edward in 23.
Highest recorded here: Charles #179 in 1955, Edward #168 in 2012.
The order changed in 2023: Edward moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #376 and #377; by 2023 that had become #386 and #220.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charles #455, Edward #189.
New Zealand · Boys52 shared years, 1954–2021
Charles held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Edward in 37.
Highest recorded here: Charles #58 in 2008, Edward #51 in 1955.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Charles #72, Edward #56.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys51 shared years, 1952–2025
Charles held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Edward in 44.
Highest recorded here: Charles #57 in 1952, Edward #42 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charles #94, Edward #75.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Charles held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Edward in 24.
Highest recorded here: Charles #41 in 1998, Edward #23 in 2016.
The order changed in 2001: Edward moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #44 and #45; by 2001 that had become #50 and #44.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Charles #119, Edward #31.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Charles held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Edward in 11.
Highest recorded here: Charles #75 in 2000, Edward #104 in 1997.
The order changed in 2024: Charles moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #200 and #145; by 2024 that had become #144 and #177.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Charles #144, Edward #177.
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 | Edward |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #75 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Charles and Edward both have 2 syllables.
- 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
Edward
Popularity journey
First recorded1950
First recorded at #324 among boys in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #17 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #75 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys