David vs Gunnar
David and Gunnarcompared 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, David was ranked #64 and Gunnar #2443 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, David was ranked #88 and Gunnar #250 among boys in Norway.
David and Gunnar over time
David and Gunnar appear together in 2 published lists, across 95 years of shared records. David held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Gunnar 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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1977, David moved ahead of Gunnar in Norway · Boys — #87 and #84 the year before became #69 and #114.
- Longest-running competitions
David and Gunnar were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #88 and #250.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
David held the stronger position in 50 of those years, Gunnar in 31.
Highest recorded here: David #31 in 2005, Gunnar #10 in 1946.
The order changed in 1977: David moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #87 and #84; by 1977 that had become #69 and #114.
Most recent shared year, 2025: David #88, Gunnar #250.
England and Wales · Boys14 shared years, 2009–2024
David held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Gunnar in 0.
Highest recorded here: David #43 in 2015, Gunnar #1786 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: David #64, Gunnar #2443.
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 | David | Gunnar |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'beloved', with a possible secondary sense of 'uncle' for the root. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdeɪvɪd/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #45 (2025) | Norway · Boys #250 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 60/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- David has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Gunnar does not have one recorded yet.
- David and Gunnar both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for David; Gunnar doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, NO.
How each name got here
David
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #167 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2018
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1961 (recorded 1952–2018).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #88 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Gunnar
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #13 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in Norway, in 1946 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #250 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys