Craig vs Rex
Craig and Rexcompared 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 1960, Craig was ranked #14 and Rex #98 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Craig was ranked #2263 and Rex #216 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Craig was ranked #478 and Rex #382 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2013, Craig was ranked #398 and Rex #398 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Craig was ranked #516 and Rex #516 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Craig and Rex over time
Craig and Rex appear together in 2 published lists, across 39 years of shared records. Craig held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Rex in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Craig reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Rex 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Craig held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Rex in 14.
Highest recorded here: Craig #81 in 1996, Rex #142 in 2021.
The order changed in 2011: Rex moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #503 and #625; by 2011 that had become #557 and #501.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Craig #2263, Rex #216.
Republic of Ireland · Boys10 shared years, 2009–2023
Craig held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Rex in 0.
Highest recorded here: Craig #173 in 2009, Rex #516 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Craig #516, Rex #516.
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 | Craig | Rex |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From the Scottish surname derived from Gaelic 'creag', meaning 'crag, rocks, outcrop' — originally denoting someone who lived near a crag. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Scottish Gaelic (surname origin) | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɹeɪɡ/ | |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| 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-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Scotland · Boys #478 (2024) | England and Wales · Boys #216 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 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
- Craig has a recorded origin (Scottish Gaelic (surname origin)); Rex does not have one recorded yet.
- Craig and Rex both have 1 syllable.
- A meaning is recorded for Craig; Rex doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Craig
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1954–1992
Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in New Zealand, in 1971 (recorded 1954–1992).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2263 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys
Rex
Popularity journey
First recorded1954
First recorded at #64 among boys in New Zealand in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1960
Highest recorded position: #64 among boys in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1960).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #216 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys