Namewise

Craig vs Paul

Craig and Paulcompared 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 Paul #53 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1992, Craig was ranked #90 and Paul #53 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2015, Craig was ranked #415 and Paul #138 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2023, Craig was ranked #516 and Paul #219 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Craig was ranked #478 and Paul #290 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Craig was ranked #1705 and Paul #602 among boys in England and Wales.

Craig and Paul over time

Craig and Paul appear together in 5 published lists, across 184 years of shared records. Paul 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.

Paul reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Craig 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.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 39 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Craig and Paul averaged 18.6 places apart, ending at #97 and #53.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Craig and Paul were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1705 and #602.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Craig #81 in 1996, Paul #72 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1996 they stood at #81 and #72 in England and Wales · Boys, 9 places apart; by 2025 they were #1705 and #602.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys59 shared years, 1964–2023

    Craig held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Paul in 58.

    Highest recorded here: Craig #39 in 1990, Paul #3 in 1978.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Craig #516, Paul #219.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys39 shared years, 1953–1991

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

    Highest recorded here: Craig #8 in 1969, Paul #4 in 1966.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1991: Craig #97, Paul #53.

  • New Zealand · Boys39 shared years, 1954–1992

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

    Highest recorded here: Craig #6 in 1971, Paul #3 in 1965.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1992: Craig #90, Paul #53.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Craig held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Paul in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Craig #81 in 1996, Paul #72 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Craig #1705, Paul #602.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys17 shared years, 1997–2015

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

    Highest recorded here: Craig #68 in 1997, Paul #27 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2015: Craig #415, Paul #138.

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 Craig

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

Other comparisons involving Paul

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

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

Pairs measured inside England and Wales's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

England and Wales overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Craig, Paul
FieldCraigPaul
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.From the Roman name Paulus, meaning 'small' in Latin. Saint Paul, originally named Saul, converted to Christianity and became a key missionary figure, authoring several New Testament epistles.
OriginScottish Gaelic (surname origin)Latin
Pronunciation/ˈkɹeɪɡ//ˈpɔːl/
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 observationEngland and Wales · Boys #1705 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #286 (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 Paul is recorded with a Latin origin.
  • Craig and Paul both have 1 syllable.
  • Craig's recorded meaning differs from Paul'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 recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1705 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Paul

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #73 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 recorded1954–1998

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 1965 (recorded 1954–1998).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #602 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys