Namewise

Cooper vs Harry

Cooper and Harrycompared 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.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Cooper was ranked #125 and Harry #13 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2025, Cooper was ranked #19 and Harry #39 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Cooper was ranked #139 and Harry #20 among boys in England and Wales.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2023, Cooper was ranked #21 and Harry #40 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Cooper was ranked #198 and Harry #25 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Cooper was ranked #121 and Harry #31 among boys in Scotland.

Cooper and Harry over time

Cooper and Harry appear together in 5 published lists, across 109 years of shared records. Harry held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Cooper in 2.

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 2 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.

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 2020, Cooper moved ahead of Harry in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #27 and #20 the year before became #25 and #30.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Cooper and Harry changed places 5 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1998 and 2025, ending at #19 and #39.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 28 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Cooper and Harry averaged 13.3 places apart, ending at #19 and #39.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Cooper #142 in 2018, Harry #6 in 2018.

List by list

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys28 shared years, 19982025

    Cooper held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Harry in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Cooper #4 in 2009, Harry #15 in 2018.

    The order changed in 2020: Cooper moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #27 and #20; by 2020 that had become #25 and #30.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Cooper #19, Harry #39.

  • England and Wales · Boys27 shared years, 19972024

    Cooper held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Harry in 27.

    Highest recorded here: Cooper #134 in 2019, Harry #1 in 2011.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Cooper #139, Harry #20.

  • New Zealand · Boys18 shared years, 20062023

    Cooper held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Harry in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Cooper #12 in 2012, Harry #22 in 2018.

    The order changed in 2008: Cooper moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #42 and #40; by 2008 that had become #32 and #45.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Cooper #21, Harry #40.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys18 shared years, 20062024

    Cooper held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Harry in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Cooper #120 in 2017, Harry #4 in 2012.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Cooper #125, Harry #13.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys18 shared years, 20082025

    Cooper held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Harry in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Cooper #142 in 2018, Harry #6 in 2018.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Cooper #198, Harry #25.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Cooper, Harry
FieldCooperHarry
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningAn English occupational surname meaning 'barrel maker', from Middle English 'couper'.A diminutive/pet form, inheriting its meaning from Henry — 'home ruler' — and functioning, in modern times, as a nickname for both Henry and names beginning with 'Har-'. During the Middle Ages in England, Henry was generally rendered as Harry or Herry in English pronunciation.
OriginEnglish (occupational surname)English, medieval form/diminutive of Henry
Pronunciation/ˈkup.əɹ//ˈhæri/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNew South Wales, Australia · Boys #19 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #25 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Cooper is recorded with a English (occupational surname) origin, while Harry is recorded with a English, medieval form/diminutive of Henry origin.
  • Cooper and Harry both have 2 syllables.
  • Cooper's recorded meaning differs from Harry's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Cooper

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1998–2025

    Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2009 (recorded 1998–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #19 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

Harry

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #70 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2011 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #39 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys