David vs Hugo
David and Hugocompared 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 2020, David was ranked #84 and Hugo #26 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2018, David was ranked #97 and Hugo #38 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, David was ranked #45 and Hugo #42 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, David was ranked #64 and Hugo #46 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, David was ranked #71 and Hugo #135 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, David was ranked #104 and Hugo #81 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, David was ranked #88 and Hugo #101 among boys in Norway.
David and Hugo over time
David and Hugo appear together in 6 published lists, across 196 years of shared records. David held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Hugo in 2.
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 6 of those lists, and Hugo 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 took the other's place near the top
In England and Wales · Boys, Hugo moved into the top 50 at #48 in 2019 as David fell out of it to #56, having been #49 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2019, Hugo moved ahead of David in England and Wales · Boys — #49 and #53 the year before became #56 and #48.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
David and Hugo changed places 14 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2025, ending at #88 and #101.
- Mirrored each other
Over 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Hugo rose about as far as David fell — from #32 and #216 in 1996 to #64 and #46 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
David and Hugo were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 79 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #88 and #101.
List by list
Norway · Boys79 shared years, 1945–2025
David held the stronger position in 71 of those years, Hugo in 8.
Highest recorded here: David #31 in 2005, Hugo #101 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: David #88, Hugo #101.
Republic of Ireland · Boys49 shared years, 1969–2025
David held the stronger position in 48 of those years, Hugo in 1.
Highest recorded here: David #1 in 1989, Hugo #42 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: David #45, Hugo #42.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
David held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Hugo in 6.
Highest recorded here: David #32 in 1996, Hugo #45 in 2021.
The order changed in 2019: Hugo moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #49 and #53; by 2019 that had become #56 and #48.
Most recent shared year, 2024: David #64, Hugo #46.
Northern Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 2000–2024
David held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Hugo in 2.
Highest recorded here: David #13 in 2000, Hugo #67 in 2023.
The order changed in 2023: Hugo moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #88 and #89; by 2023 that had become #83 and #67.
Most recent shared year, 2024: David #104, Hugo #81.
New Zealand · Boys10 shared years, 2009–2020
David held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Hugo in 6.
Highest recorded here: David #60 in 2009, Hugo #26 in 2020.
The order changed in 2015: Hugo moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #68 and #74; by 2015 that had become #83 and #56.
Most recent shared year, 2020: David #84, Hugo #26.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys8 shared years, 2009–2018
David held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Hugo in 5.
Highest recorded here: David #76 in 2011, Hugo #38 in 2018.
The order changed in 2012: Hugo moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #76 and #93; by 2012 that had become #98 and #67.
Most recent shared year, 2018: David #97, Hugo #38.
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 | Hugo |
|---|---|---|
| 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/ | |
| 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #45 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #18 (2025) |
| 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
- David has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Hugo does not have one recorded yet.
- David and Hugo both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for David; Hugo doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
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
Hugo
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #186 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded2009–2025
Highest recorded position: #18 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025 (recorded 2009–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #18 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys