Christopher vs Timothy
Christopher 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 South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2005, Christopher was ranked #54 and Timothy #78 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2005, Christopher was ranked #68 and Timothy #100 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Christopher was ranked #121 and Timothy #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Christopher was ranked #127 and Timothy #535 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Christopher was ranked #204 and Timothy #382 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Christopher was ranked #239 and Timothy #339 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2019, Christopher was ranked #361 and Timothy #518 among boys in Norway.
Christopher and Timothy over time
Christopher and Timothy appear together in 6 published lists, across 266 years of shared records. Christopher held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Timothy 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.
Timothy reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Christopher in 2. 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 1971, Christopher moved ahead of Timothy in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #39 and #37 the year before became #34 and #38.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 54 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Christopher and Timothy averaged 19.0 places apart, ending at #54 and #78.
- Longest-running competitions
Christopher and Timothy were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 54 years, from 1952 to 2005, ending at #54 and #78.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Christopher #25 in 1996, Timothy #82 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1964 they stood at #27 and #26 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 1 places apart; by 2025 they were #121 and #329.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Christopher held the stronger position in 60 of those years, Timothy in 2.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #13 in 1990, Timothy #26 in 1964.
The order changed in 1971: Christopher moved ahead. In 1970 they stood at #39 and #37; by 1971 that had become #34 and #38.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Christopher #121, Timothy #329.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys54 shared years, 1952–2005
Christopher held the stronger position in 54 of those years, Timothy in 0.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #2 in 1985, Timothy #11 in 1984.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Christopher #54, Timothy #78.
New Zealand · Boys52 shared years, 1954–2005
Christopher held the stronger position in 52 of those years, Timothy in 0.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #4 in 1984, Timothy #10 in 1981.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Christopher #68, Timothy #100.
Norway · Boys41 shared years, 1957–2019
Christopher held the stronger position in 41 of those years, Timothy in 0.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #54 in 1987, Timothy #413 in 1988.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Christopher #361, Timothy #518.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Christopher held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Timothy in 0.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #25 in 1996, Timothy #82 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Christopher #204, Timothy #382.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Christopher held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Timothy in 0.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #10 in 1998, Timothy #75 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Christopher #239, 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 | Christopher | Timothy |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | From Greek Timotheos, literally 'honouring God', combining 'timao' (to honour) with 'theos' (god). Saint Timothy accompanied the Apostle Paul on missionary journeys. |
| Origin | Greek | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɹɪs.tə.fəɹ/ | /ˈtɪm.ə.θi/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 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 | Republic of Ireland · Boys #121 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #329 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 65/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 58/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Both Christopher and Timothy share a recorded Greek origin.
- Christopher and Timothy both have 3 syllables.
- Christopher's recorded meaning differs from Timothy'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
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