Cooper vs Ernest

Cooper and Ernestcompared 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.

Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Cooper was ranked #121 and Ernest #727 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Cooper was ranked #139 and Ernest #296 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2021, Cooper was ranked #164 and Ernest #552 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Cooper and Ernest over time

Cooper and Ernest appear together in 2 published lists, across 35 years of shared records. Cooper held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Ernest in 0.

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.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.

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 · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2024
Cooper held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Ernest in 4.
Highest recorded here: Cooper #134 in 2019, Ernest #270 in 2022.
The order changed in 2004: Cooper moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #1248 and #945; by 2004 that had become #731 and #1160.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Cooper #139, Ernest #296.
Republic of Ireland · Boys8 shared years, 2008–2021
Cooper held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Ernest in 1.
Highest recorded here: Cooper #164 in 2021, Ernest #529 in 2008.
The order changed in 2010: Cooper moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #532 and #532; by 2010 that had become #611 and #720.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Cooper #164, Ernest #552.

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 Cooper

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

Cooper vs Max
Cooper and Max changed places 12 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1998 and 2025, ending at #19 and #30.
Cooper · Max · 28 shared years, 1998–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 2025 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Liam vs Cooper
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Liam #1 in 2010, Cooper #12 in 2012.
Liam · Cooper · 18 shared years, 2006–2023 · Peaked in the same years
See the 2012 New Zealand ranking
Oliver vs Cooper
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Oliver #1 in 2013, Cooper #12 in 2012.
Oliver · Cooper · 18 shared years, 2006–2023 · Peaked in the same years
See the 2013 New Zealand ranking
William vs Cooper
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — William #1 in 2009, Cooper #4 in 2009.
William · Cooper · 28 shared years, 1998–2025 · Peaked in the same years
See the 2009 New South Wales, Australia ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Cooper, Ernest
Field	Cooper	Ernest
Record type	Editorially researched profile	Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usage	male	male
Meaning	An English occupational surname meaning 'barrel maker', from Middle English 'couper'.	Not yet recorded
Origin	English (occupational surname)	Not yet recorded
Pronunciation	/ˈkup.əɹ/	Not yet recorded
Syllables	2	2
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ	GB-ENW, GB-SCT, IE
Most recent popularity observation	New South Wales, Australia · Boys #19 (2025)	England and Wales · Boys #296 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	90/100	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	88/100	88/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Cooper has a recorded origin (English (occupational surname)); Ernest does not have one recorded yet.
Cooper and Ernest both have 2 syllables.
A meaning is recorded for Cooper; Ernest doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-SCT, IE.

How each name got here

Cooper

Popularity journey

First recorded1997
First recorded at #2022 among boys in England and Wales in 1997 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded1998–2025
Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2009 (recorded 1998–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #19 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys

Ernest

Popularity journey

First recorded1964
First recorded at #181 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2021
Highest recorded position: #167 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1968 (recorded 1964–2021).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #296 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys