Namewise

David vs Magnus

David and Magnuscompared 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.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, David was ranked #88 and Magnus #17 among boys in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2019, David was ranked #41 and Magnus #764 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, David was ranked #71 and Magnus #130 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, David was ranked #73 and Magnus #432 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2023, David was ranked #83 and Magnus #312 among boys in Northern Ireland.

David and Magnus over time

David and Magnus appear together in 2 published lists, across 111 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

David reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Magnus 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.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025

    David held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Magnus in 56.

    Highest recorded here: David #31 in 2005, Magnus #3 in 2013.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: David #88, Magnus #17.

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

    David held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Magnus in 0.

    Highest recorded here: David #32 in 1996, Magnus #335 in 2022.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: David #73, Magnus #432.

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 Magnus

Pairs where Magnus 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, Magnus
FieldDavidMagnus
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'beloved', with a possible secondary sense of 'uncle' for the root.Directly 'great' or 'mighty' in Latin.
OriginBiblical HebrewLatin
Pronunciation/ˈdeɪvɪd//ˈmæɡnəs/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedMags
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #45 (2025)Norway #12 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • David is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Magnus is recorded with a Latin origin.
  • David and Magnus both have 2 syllables.
  • David's recorded meaning differs from Magnus's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
  • The available evidence gives David a "medium" Data Confidence level and Magnus 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

Magnus

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #125 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 recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Norway, in 2013 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #432 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys