Craig vs Scott
Craig and Scottcompared 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 1992, Craig was ranked #90 and Scott #26 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1991, Craig was ranked #97 and Scott #36 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Craig was ranked #478 and Scott #199 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2015, Craig was ranked #415 and Scott #222 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Craig was ranked #516 and Scott #224 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Craig was ranked #2263 and Scott #1025 among boys in England and Wales.
Craig and Scott over time
Craig and Scott appear together in 5 published lists, across 167 years of shared records. Scott held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Craig 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.
Craig reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Scott 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1970, Scott moved ahead of Craig in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #8 and #9 the year before became #14 and #10.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Craig and Scott changed places 8 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1970 and 2023, ending at #516 and #224.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 35 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Craig and Scott averaged 17.8 places apart, ending at #97 and #36.
- Longest-running competitions
Craig and Scott were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 35 years, from 1957 to 1991, ending at #97 and #36.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Craig #81 in 1996, Scott #48 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys53 shared years, 1970–2023
Craig held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Scott in 24.
Highest recorded here: Craig #39 in 1990, Scott #42 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Craig #516, Scott #224.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys35 shared years, 1957–1991
Craig held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Scott in 22.
Highest recorded here: Craig #8 in 1969, Scott #8 in 1973.
The order changed in 1970: Scott moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #8 and #9; by 1970 that had become #14 and #10.
Most recent shared year, 1991: Craig #97, Scott #36.
New Zealand · Boys33 shared years, 1960–1992
Craig held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Scott in 16.
Highest recorded here: Craig #6 in 1971, Scott #12 in 1977.
The order changed in 1979: Scott moved ahead. In 1978 they stood at #16 and #18; by 1979 that had become #22 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 1992: Craig #90, Scott #26.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Craig held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Scott in 29.
Highest recorded here: Craig #81 in 1996, Scott #48 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Craig #2263, Scott #1025.
Northern Ireland · Boys17 shared years, 1997–2015
Craig held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Scott in 17.
Highest recorded here: Craig #68 in 1997, Scott #36 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Craig #415, Scott #222.
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 | Scott |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| 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. | An English/Scottish surname referring to a person from Scotland or a Scottish Gaelic speaker, from Latin 'Scoti' ('Gael, Gaelic speaker') — the ultimate origin of that Latin term is itself uncertain. |
| Origin | Scottish Gaelic (surname origin) | English/Scottish (surname origin) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɹeɪɡ/ | /ˈskɑt/ |
| 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Scotland · Boys #478 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #198 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| 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 is recorded with a Scottish Gaelic (surname origin) origin, while Scott is recorded with a English/Scottish (surname origin) origin.
- Craig and Scott both have 1 syllable.
- Craig's recorded meaning differs from Scott'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
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
Scott
Popularity journey
First recorded1957
First recorded at #75 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1957 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1957–1999
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1973 (recorded 1957–1999).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #365 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys