Colin vs Maxwell
Colin and Maxwellcompared 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 1959, Colin was ranked #25 and Maxwell #98 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Colin was ranked #1000 and Maxwell #184 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Colin was ranked #348 and Maxwell #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2017, Colin was ranked #363 and Maxwell #363 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Colin and Maxwell over time
Colin and Maxwell appear together in 4 published lists, across 76 years of shared records. Colin held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Maxwell in 1.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Colin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Maxwell 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Colin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Maxwell in 29.
Highest recorded here: Colin #311 in 1997, Maxwell #114 in 2013.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Colin #1000, Maxwell #184.
Republic of Ireland · Boys29 shared years, 1975–2025
Colin held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Maxwell in 0.
Highest recorded here: Colin #44 in 1988, Maxwell #266 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Colin #348, Maxwell #829.
Northern Ireland · Boys10 shared years, 2001–2017
Colin held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Maxwell in 3.
Highest recorded here: Colin #139 in 2001, Maxwell #219 in 2013.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Colin #363, Maxwell #363.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys8 shared years, 1952–1959
Colin held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Maxwell in 0.
Highest recorded here: Colin #22 in 1952, Maxwell #71 in 1952.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1959: Colin #25, Maxwell #98.
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 | Maxwell |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 2 |
| 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, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #119 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Colin and Maxwell 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
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
Maxwell
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #71 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 recorded1952–2021
Highest recorded position: #71 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–2021).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys