Namewise

Colin vs Garry

Colin and Garrycompared 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 1966, Colin was ranked #46 and Garry #100 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1974, Colin was ranked #63 and Garry #98 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2009, Colin was ranked #123 and Garry #701 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2002, Colin was ranked #149 and Garry #281 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Colin was ranked #1538 and Garry #5137 among boys in England and Wales.

Colin and Garry over time

Colin and Garry appear together in 4 published lists, across 108 years of shared records. Colin held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Garry 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.

Garry reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Colin 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 1962, Colin moved ahead of Garry in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #30 and #27 the year before became #34 and #38.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Colin and Garry averaged 11.2 places apart, ending at #63 and #98.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Colin and Garry were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 45 years, from 1964 to 2009, ending at #123 and #701.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Colin #311 in 1997, Garry #573 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys45 shared years, 1964–2009

    Colin held the stronger position in 45 of those years, Garry in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Colin #38 in 1985, Garry #79 in 1980.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2009: Colin #123, Garry #701.

  • England and Wales · Boys27 shared years, 1996–2025

    Colin held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Garry in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Colin #311 in 1997, Garry #573 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Colin #1538, Garry #5137.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys23 shared years, 1952–1974

    Colin held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Garry in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Colin #22 in 1952, Garry #15 in 1954.

    The order changed in 1962: Colin moved ahead. In 1961 they stood at #30 and #27; by 1962 that had become #34 and #38.

    Most recent shared year, 1974: Colin #63, Garry #98.

  • New Zealand · Boys13 shared years, 1954–1966

    Colin held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Garry in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Colin #25 in 1955, Garry #38 in 1955.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1966: Colin #46, Garry #100.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Colin

Pairs where Colin shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Garry

Pairs where Garry shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1970s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1970 and 1979.

The 1970s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Colin, Garry
FieldColinGarry
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Boys #119 (2025)England and Wales · Boys #5137 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Colin and Garry both have 2 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Colin

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #326 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 recorded1952–1983

    Highest recorded position: #22 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1983).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1538 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Garry

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #19 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 recorded1952–1974

    Highest recorded position: #15 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1954 (recorded 1952–1974).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #5137 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys