Craig vs Ricky
Craig and Rickycompared 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 1986, Craig was ranked #45 and Ricky #89 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1992, Craig was ranked #90 and Ricky #98 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2007, Craig was ranked #199 and Ricky #357 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Craig was ranked #516 and Ricky #660 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Craig was ranked #2263 and Ricky #1951 among boys in England and Wales.
Craig and Ricky over time
Craig and Ricky appear together in 4 published lists, across 87 years of shared records. Craig held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Ricky 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.
Ricky reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Craig in 1. 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Craig and Ricky were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 32 years, from 1976 to 2023, ending at #516 and #660.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Craig #81 in 1996, Ricky #146 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys32 shared years, 1976–2023
Craig held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Ricky in 1.
Highest recorded here: Craig #39 in 1990, Ricky #184 in 1989.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Craig #516, Ricky #660.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Craig held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Ricky in 9.
Highest recorded here: Craig #81 in 1996, Ricky #146 in 1996.
The order changed in 2015: Ricky moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #670 and #1061; by 2015 that had become #821 and #807.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Craig #2263, Ricky #1951.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys13 shared years, 1959–1986
Craig held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Ricky in 0.
Highest recorded here: Craig #8 in 1969, Ricky #68 in 1961.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1986: Craig #45, Ricky #89.
New Zealand · Boys13 shared years, 1962–1992
Craig held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Ricky in 0.
Highest recorded here: Craig #12 in 1963, Ricky #69 in 1985.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1992: Craig #90, Ricky #98.
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 | Ricky |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Scotland · Boys #478 (2024) | England and Wales · Boys #1951 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| 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)); Ricky does not have one recorded yet.
- Craig has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Ricky.
- A meaning is recorded for Craig; Ricky doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, 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
Ricky
Popularity journey
First recorded1959
First recorded at #92 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1959 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1959–1986
Highest recorded position: #68 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1961 (recorded 1959–1986).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1951 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys