Colin vs Keith
Colin and Keithcompared 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 1969, Colin was ranked #48 and Keith #97 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1967, Colin was ranked #51 and Keith #81 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2010, Colin was ranked #248 and Keith #339 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Colin was ranked #348 and Keith #577 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Colin was ranked #1000 and Keith #3688 among boys in England and Wales.
Colin and Keith over time
Colin and Keith appear together in 5 published lists, across 132 years of shared records. Colin held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Keith in 1.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Keith reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Colin in none. 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Colin and Keith changed places 6 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #348 and #577.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 59 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Colin and Keith averaged 57.8 places apart, ending at #348 and #577.
- Longest-running competitions
Colin and Keith were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 59 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #348 and #577.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Colin #311 in 1997, Keith #379 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1964 they stood at #89 and #96 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 7 places apart; by 2025 they were #348 and #577.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys59 shared years, 1964–2025
Colin held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Keith in 33.
Highest recorded here: Colin #38 in 1985, Keith #17 in 1975.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Colin #348, Keith #577.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Colin held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Keith in 0.
Highest recorded here: Colin #311 in 1997, Keith #379 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Colin #1000, Keith #3688.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys18 shared years, 1952–1969
Colin held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Keith in 0.
Highest recorded here: Colin #22 in 1952, Keith #40 in 1952.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1969: Colin #48, Keith #97.
New Zealand · Boys14 shared years, 1954–1967
Colin held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Keith in 0.
Highest recorded here: Colin #25 in 1955, Keith #33 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1967: Colin #51, Keith #81.
Northern Ireland · Boys12 shared years, 1997–2010
Colin held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Keith in 0.
Highest recorded here: Colin #96 in 1997, Keith #143 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2010: Colin #248, Keith #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 | Colin | Keith |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #119 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #577 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Colin has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Keith.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Colin
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1952–1983
Highest recorded position: #22 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1983).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #119 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Keith
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #40 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 recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #17 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1975 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #577 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys