Namewise

Craig vs Mark

Craig and Markcompared 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 1991, Craig was ranked #97 and Mark #37 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1992, Craig was ranked #90 and Mark #49 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2023, Craig was ranked #516 and Mark #75 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2015, Craig was ranked #415 and Mark #102 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Craig was ranked #478 and Mark #169 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Craig was ranked #2263 and Mark #277 among boys in England and Wales.

Craig and Mark over time

Craig and Mark appear together in 5 published lists, across 183 years of shared records. Mark held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Craig in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

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.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 39 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Craig and Mark averaged 22.2 places apart, ending at #97 and #37.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Craig and Mark were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 39 years, from 1953 to 1991, ending at #97 and #37.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Craig #81 in 1996, Mark #55 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys59 shared years, 19642023

    Craig held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mark in 59.

    Highest recorded here: Craig #39 in 1990, Mark #7 in 1974.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Craig #516, Mark #75.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys39 shared years, 19531991

    Craig held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mark in 39.

    Highest recorded here: Craig #8 in 1969, Mark #2 in 1960.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1991: Craig #97, Mark #37.

  • New Zealand · Boys39 shared years, 19541992

    Craig held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Mark in 37.

    Highest recorded here: Craig #6 in 1971, Mark #2 in 1974.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1992: Craig #90, Mark #49.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Craig held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mark in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Craig #81 in 1996, Mark #55 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Craig #2263, Mark #277.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys17 shared years, 19972015

    Craig held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mark in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Craig #68 in 1997, Mark #12 in 1999.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2015: Craig #415, Mark #102.

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 Craig, Mark
FieldCraigMark
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningFrom the Scottish surname derived from Gaelic 'creag', meaning 'crag, rocks, outcrop' — originally denoting someone who lived near a crag.A form of the Latin name Marcus used in several languages. Saint Mark authored the second Gospel and is patron saint of Venice.
OriginScottish Gaelic (surname origin)Latin
Pronunciation/ˈkɹeɪɡ//ˈmɑɹk/
Syllables11
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 observationScotland · Boys #478 (2024)Republic of Ireland · Boys #99 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Craig is recorded with a Scottish Gaelic (surname origin) origin, while Mark is recorded with a Latin origin.
  • Craig and Mark both have 1 syllable.
  • Craig's recorded meaning differs from Mark'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

Craig

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1953

    First recorded at #79 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1954–1992

    Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in New Zealand, in 1971 (recorded 1954–1992).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #2263 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Boys

Mark

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1950

    First recorded at #362 among boys in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1952–2001

    Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1960 (recorded 1952–2001).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #286 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys