Namewise

David vs Henry

David and Henrycompared 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 2018, David was ranked #97 and Henry #5 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, David was ranked #73 and Henry #13 among boys in England and Wales.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2020, David was ranked #84 and Henry #30 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, David was ranked #104 and Henry #45 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, David was ranked #45 and Henry #76 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, David was ranked #88 and Henry #50 among boys in Norway.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, David was ranked #71 and Henry #95 among boys in Scotland.

David and Henry over time

David and Henry appear together in 6 published lists, across 261 years of shared records. David held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Henry in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

David reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Henry 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.

  • One took the other's place near the top

    In England and Wales · Boys, Henry moved into the top 50 at #48 in 2004 as David fell out of it to #55, having been #49 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2004, Henry moved ahead of David in England and Wales · Boys — #49 and #53 the year before became #55 and #48.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    David and Henry changed places 4 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2025, ending at #88 and #50.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, David and Henry averaged 29.2 places apart, ending at #73 and #13.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Henry rose about as far as David fell — from #32 and #58 in 1996 to #73 and #13 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    David and Henry were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #73 and #13.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025

    David held the stronger position in 63 of those years, Henry in 18.

    Highest recorded here: David #31 in 2005, Henry #50 in 2025.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: David #88, Henry #50.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025

    David held the stronger position in 62 of those years, Henry in 0.

    Highest recorded here: David #1 in 1985, Henry #60 in 1964.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: David #45, Henry #76.

  • New Zealand · Boys38 shared years, 1954–2020

    David held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Henry in 13.

    Highest recorded here: David #1 in 1961, Henry #19 in 2017.

    The order changed in 2011: Henry moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #61 and #62; by 2011 that had become #59 and #52.

    Most recent shared year, 2020: David #84, Henry #30.

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

    David held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Henry in 22.

    Highest recorded here: David #32 in 1996, Henry #10 in 2021.

    The order changed in 2004: Henry moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #49 and #53; by 2004 that had become #55 and #48.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: David #73, Henry #13.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    David held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Henry in 9.

    Highest recorded here: David #9 in 1997, Henry #22 in 2023.

    The order changed in 2018: Henry moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #66 and #74; by 2018 that had become #69 and #54.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: David #104, Henry #45.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys22 shared years, 1993–2018

    David held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Henry in 11.

    Highest recorded here: David #21 in 1993, Henry #5 in 2018.

    The order changed in 2007: Henry moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #64 and #65; by 2007 that had become #76 and #52.

    Most recent shared year, 2018: David #97, Henry #5.

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 David

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

Other comparisons involving Henry

Pairs where Henry 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 — longest-running competitions.

All longest-running competitions→

Other pairs from Norway lists

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

Norway 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 David, Henry
FieldDavidHenry
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'beloved', with a possible secondary sense of 'uncle' for the root.Home ruler, estate ruler.
OriginBiblical HebrewGermanic, via Old French Henri
Pronunciation/ˈdeɪvɪd//ˈhɛnɹi/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedHarry, Hal, Heinrich, Henri
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #45 (2025)New South Wales, Australia · Boys #6 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • David is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Henry is recorded with a Germanic, via Old French Henri origin.
  • David and Henry both have 2 syllables.
  • David's recorded meaning differs from Henry's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives David a "medium" Data Confidence level and Henry a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

David

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–2018

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1961 (recorded 1952–2018).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #73 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Henry

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #102 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 recorded1993–2025

    Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2023 (recorded 1993–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #13 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys