Namewise

Christopher vs Rodney

Christopher and Rodneycompared 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 1983, Christopher was ranked #3 and Rodney #87 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1974, Christopher was ranked #10 and Rodney #99 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 1995, Christopher was ranked #23 and Rodney #301 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Christopher was ranked #204 and Rodney #2671 among boys in England and Wales.

Christopher and Rodney over time

Christopher and Rodney appear together in 4 published lists, across 100 years of shared records. Christopher held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Rodney in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Rodney reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 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.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 32 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Christopher and Rodney averaged 28.1 places apart, ending at #3 and #87.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Christopher and Rodney were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 32 years, from 1952 to 1983, ending at #3 and #87.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Christopher #25 in 1996, Rodney #1055 in 1998.

List by list

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys32 shared years, 19521983

    Christopher held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Rodney in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Christopher #3 in 1983, Rodney #17 in 1966.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1983: Christopher #3, Rodney #87.

  • England and Wales · Boys27 shared years, 19962024

    Christopher held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Rodney in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Christopher #25 in 1996, Rodney #1055 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Christopher #204, Rodney #2671.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 19641995

    Christopher held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Rodney in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Christopher #17 in 1984, Rodney #135 in 1972.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1995: Christopher #23, Rodney #301.

  • New Zealand · Boys20 shared years, 19541974

    Christopher held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Rodney in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Christopher #6 in 1968, Rodney #42 in 1967.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1974: Christopher #10, Rodney #99.

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 Christopher, Rodney
FieldChristopherRodney
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningFrom 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.Not yet recorded
OriginGreekNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈkɹɪs.tə.fəɹ/
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #121 (2025)England and Wales · Boys #2671 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)65/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)58/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Christopher has a recorded origin (Greek); Rodney does not have one recorded yet.
  • Christopher has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Rodney.
  • A meaning is recorded for Christopher; Rodney doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Christopher

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–2014

    Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1985 (recorded 1952–2014).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #311 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys

Rodney

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #38 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–1983

    Highest recorded position: #17 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1966 (recorded 1952–1983).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #2671 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Boys