Charles vs Owen
Charles and Owencompared 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.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2017, Charles was ranked #76 and Owen #91 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2021, Charles was ranked #89 and Owen #95 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Charles was ranked #160 and Owen #95 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Charles was ranked #119 and Owen #155 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Charles was ranked #144 and Owen #216 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Charles was ranked #188 and Owen #317 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Charles and Owen over time
Charles and Owen appear together in 5 published lists, across 145 years of shared records. Charles held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Owen in 2.
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.
Charles reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Owen in 1. 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 2024, Charles moved ahead of Owen in Northern Ireland · Boys — #200 and #169 the year before became #144 and #216.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Charles and Owen changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #119 and #155.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Charles and Owen averaged 24.0 places apart, ending at #119 and #155.
- Longest-running competitions
Charles and Owen were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #188 and #317.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Charles #75 in 2000, Owen #46 in 1999.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Charles held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Owen in 35.
Highest recorded here: Charles #43 in 1964, Owen #68 in 1978.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charles #188, Owen #317.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Charles held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Owen in 12.
Highest recorded here: Charles #41 in 1998, Owen #31 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Charles #119, Owen #155.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Charles held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Owen in 22.
Highest recorded here: Charles #75 in 2000, Owen #46 in 1999.
The order changed in 2024: Charles moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #200 and #169; by 2024 that had become #144 and #216.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Charles #144, Owen #216.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys18 shared years, 1953–2021
Charles held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Owen in 2.
Highest recorded here: Charles #60 in 1953, Owen #71 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Charles #89, Owen #95.
New Zealand · Boys8 shared years, 1954–2017
Charles held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Owen in 0.
Highest recorded here: Charles #59 in 1954, Owen #75 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Charles #76, Owen #91.
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 | Owen |
|---|---|---|
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #94 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #317 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Charles and Owen both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, 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
Owen
Popularity journey
First recorded1953
First recorded at #98 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #31 among boys in England and Wales, in 2002 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #317 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys