Colin vs Ross
Colin and Rosscompared 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 1972, Colin was ranked #70 and Ross #68 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1983, Colin was ranked #90 and Ross #86 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Colin was ranked #348 and Ross #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2021, Colin was ranked #433 and Ross #433 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Colin was ranked #1000 and Ross #3254 among boys in England and Wales.
Colin and Ross over time
Colin and Ross appear together in 5 published lists, across 158 years of shared records. Ross held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Colin in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Colin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Ross 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1996, Ross moved ahead of Colin in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #57 and #66 the year before became #75 and #48.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Colin and Ross averaged 17.0 places apart, ending at #90 and #86.
- Longest-running competitions
Colin and Ross were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 61 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #348 and #329.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Colin #311 in 1997, Ross #60 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1964–2025
Colin held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Ross in 30.
Highest recorded here: Colin #38 in 1985, Ross #39 in 1998.
The order changed in 1996: Ross moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #57 and #66; by 1996 that had become #75 and #48.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Colin #348, Ross #329.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Colin held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Ross in 24.
Highest recorded here: Colin #311 in 1997, Ross #60 in 1997.
The order changed in 2020: Colin moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #952 and #894; by 2020 that had become #1019 and #1723.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Colin #1000, Ross #3254.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys28 shared years, 1952–1983
Colin held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Ross in 2.
Highest recorded here: Colin #22 in 1952, Ross #34 in 1958.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1983: Colin #90, Ross #86.
Northern Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 1997–2021
Colin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Ross in 20.
Highest recorded here: Colin #96 in 1997, Ross #30 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Colin #433, Ross #433.
New Zealand · Boys19 shared years, 1954–1972
Colin held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Ross in 15.
Highest recorded here: Colin #25 in 1955, Ross #25 in 1957.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1972: Colin #70, Ross #68.
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 | Ross |
|---|---|---|
| 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, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #119 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #329 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Colin has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Ross.
- 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
Ross
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #36 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 recorded1954–1985
Highest recorded position: #25 among boys in New Zealand, in 1957 (recorded 1954–1985).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys