Charles vs Timothy
Charles and Timothycompared 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 2005, Charles was ranked #70 and Timothy #100 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2005, Charles was ranked #89 and Timothy #78 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Charles was ranked #119 and Timothy #382 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Charles was ranked #144 and Timothy #339 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Charles was ranked #160 and Timothy #535 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Charles was ranked #188 and Timothy #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2019, Charles was ranked #455 and Timothy #518 among boys in Norway.
Charles and Timothy over time
Charles and Timothy appear together in 6 published lists, across 229 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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 3 of those lists, Timothy 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 2005, Timothy moved ahead of Charles in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #78 and #98 the year before became #89 and #78.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Charles and Timothy changed places 5 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #144 and #339.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 36 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Charles and Timothy averaged 43.6 places apart, ending at #89 and #78.
- Longest-running competitions
Charles and Timothy were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 36 years, from 1952 to 2005, ending at #89 and #78.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Charles #41 in 1998, Timothy #82 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Charles held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Timothy in 38.
Highest recorded here: Charles #43 in 1964, Timothy #26 in 1964.
The order changed in 2025: Charles moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #287 and #187; by 2025 that had become #188 and #329.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charles #188, Timothy #329.
New Zealand · Boys41 shared years, 1954–2005
Charles held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Timothy in 38.
Highest recorded here: Charles #59 in 1954, Timothy #10 in 1981.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Charles #70, Timothy #100.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys36 shared years, 1952–2005
Charles held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Timothy in 33.
Highest recorded here: Charles #57 in 1952, Timothy #15 in 1989.
The order changed in 2005: Timothy moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #78 and #98; by 2005 that had become #89 and #78.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Charles #89, Timothy #78.
Norway · Boys33 shared years, 1957–2019
Charles held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Timothy in 5.
Highest recorded here: Charles #207 in 1959, Timothy #413 in 1988.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Charles #455, Timothy #518.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Charles held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Timothy in 0.
Highest recorded here: Charles #41 in 1998, Timothy #82 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Charles #119, Timothy #382.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Charles held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Timothy in 5.
Highest recorded here: Charles #75 in 2000, Timothy #75 in 2000.
The order changed in 2022: Charles moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #266 and #249; by 2022 that had become #177 and #414.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Charles #144, Timothy #339.
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 | Timothy |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | From Greek Timotheos, literally 'honouring God', combining 'timao' (to honour) with 'theos' (god). Saint Timothy accompanied the Apostle Paul on missionary journeys. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Greek |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈtɪm.ə.θi/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| 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 #329 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Timothy has a recorded origin (Greek); Charles does not have one recorded yet.
- Charles has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Timothy.
- A meaning is recorded for Timothy; 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
Timothy
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #61 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1954–2005
Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New Zealand, in 1981 (recorded 1954–2005).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys