Namewise

Charles vs Scott

Charles and Scottcompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1999, Charles was ranked #79 and Scott #95 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2002, Charles was ranked #94 and Scott #96 among boys in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Charles was ranked #119 and Scott #1025 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Charles was ranked #144 and Scott #239 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Charles was ranked #160 and Scott #199 among boys in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Charles was ranked #188 and Scott #198 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Charles was ranked #455 and Scott #365 among boys in Norway.

Charles and Scott over time

Charles and Scott appear together in 6 published lists, across 208 years of shared records. Scott held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Charles in 1.

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.

Charles reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Scott 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 2015, Charles moved ahead of Scott in Northern Ireland · Boys — #135 and #128 the year before became #133 and #222.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Charles and Scott changed places 7 times in Norway · Boys between 1957 and 2025, ending at #455 and #365.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 25 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Charles and Scott averaged 54.6 places apart, ending at #79 and #95.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Charles and Scott were both ranked in New Zealand · Boys for 33 years, from 1960 to 2002, ending at #94 and #96.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Charles #41 in 1998, Scott #48 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1996 they stood at #44 and #48 in England and Wales · Boys, 4 places apart; by 2024 they were #119 and #1025.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys56 shared years, 19702025

    Charles held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Scott in 35.

    Highest recorded here: Charles #62 in 1970, Scott #42 in 2004.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Charles #188, Scott #198.

  • Norway · Boys38 shared years, 19572025

    Charles held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Scott in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Charles #230 in 1957, Scott #236 in 2018.

    The order changed in 2000: Scott moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #358 and #426; by 2000 that had become #540 and #263.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Charles #455, Scott #365.

  • New Zealand · Boys33 shared years, 19602002

    Charles held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Scott in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Charles #69 in 1962, Scott #12 in 1977.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2002: Charles #94, Scott #96.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Charles held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Scott in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Charles #41 in 1998, Scott #48 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Charles #119, Scott #1025.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 19972024

    Charles held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Scott in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Charles #75 in 2000, Scott #36 in 2004.

    The order changed in 2015: Charles moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #135 and #128; by 2015 that had become #133 and #222.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Charles #144, Scott #239.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys25 shared years, 19571999

    Charles held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Scott in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Charles #71 in 1957, Scott #8 in 1973.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 1999: Charles #79, Scott #95.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Charles, Scott
FieldCharlesScott
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedAn English/Scottish surname referring to a person from Scotland or a Scottish Gaelic speaker, from Latin 'Scoti' ('Gael, Gaelic speaker') — the ultimate origin of that Latin term is itself uncertain.
OriginNot yet recordedEnglish/Scottish (surname origin)
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈskɑt/
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNew South Wales, Australia · Boys #94 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #198 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Scott has a recorded origin (English/Scottish (surname origin)); Charles does not have one recorded yet.
  • Charles has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Scott.
  • A meaning is recorded for Scott; 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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #41 among boys in England and Wales, in 1998 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #94 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

Scott

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1957

    First recorded at #75 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1957 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1957–1999

    Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1973 (recorded 1957–1999).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #365 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys