Christopher vs David
Christopher 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, Christopher was ranked #121 and David #45 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Christopher was ranked #204 and David #64 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2012, Christopher was ranked #99 and David #66 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Christopher was ranked #127 and David #71 among boys in Scotland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Christopher was ranked #311 and David #88 among boys in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2014, Christopher was ranked #94 and David #89 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Christopher was ranked #239 and David #104 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Christopher and David over time
Christopher and David appear together in 6 published lists, across 319 years of shared records. David held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Christopher 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.
David reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Christopher 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 2001, David moved ahead of Christopher in England and Wales · Boys — #42 and #43 the year before became #48 and #46.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Christopher and David changed places 6 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1952 and 2014, ending at #94 and #89.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Christopher and David averaged 56.7 places apart, ending at #204 and #64.
- Longest-running competitions
Christopher and David were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 63 years, from 1952 to 2014, ending at #94 and #89.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Christopher #25 in 1996, David #32 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys79 shared years, 1946–2025
Christopher held the stronger position in 4 of those years, David in 75.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #54 in 1987, David #31 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Christopher #311, David #88.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys63 shared years, 1952–2014
Christopher held the stronger position in 28 of those years, David in 35.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #2 in 1985, David #1 in 1961.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Christopher #94, David #89.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Christopher held the stronger position in 0 of those years, David in 62.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #13 in 1990, David #1 in 1985.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Christopher #121, David #45.
New Zealand · Boys58 shared years, 1954–2012
Christopher held the stronger position in 13 of those years, David in 45.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #4 in 1984, David #1 in 1960.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Christopher #99, David #66.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Christopher held the stronger position in 5 of those years, David in 24.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #25 in 1996, David #32 in 1996.
The order changed in 2001: David moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #42 and #43; by 2001 that had become #48 and #46.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Christopher #204, David #64.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Christopher held the stronger position in 2 of those years, David in 26.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #10 in 1998, David #9 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Christopher #239, 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 | Christopher | David |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From Late Greek Christophoros, combining 'Christos' (Christ) with 'phero' ('to bear') — 'bearing Christ'. Associated with the legend of Saint Christopher carrying the young Jesus across a river. | Commonly interpreted as 'beloved', with a possible secondary sense of 'uncle' for the root. |
| Origin | Greek | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɹɪs.tə.fəɹ/ | /ˈdeɪvɪd/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 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 | Republic of Ireland · Boys #121 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #45 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 65/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 58/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Christopher is recorded with a Greek origin, while David is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Christopher has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for David.
- Christopher's recorded meaning differs from David's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Christopher
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #306 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2014
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1985 (recorded 1952–2014).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #311 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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