Namewise

David vs Paul

David and Paulcompared 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 1998, David was ranked #29 and Paul #86 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1998, David was ranked #43 and Paul #86 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, David was ranked #45 and Paul #286 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2024, David was ranked #69 and Paul #370 among boys in Norway.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, David was ranked #71 and Paul #290 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, David was ranked #73 and Paul #602 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, David was ranked #104 and Paul #278 among boys in Northern Ireland.

David and Paul over time

David and Paul appear together in 6 published lists, across 290 years of shared records. David held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Paul in 0.

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.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 2 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 1974, David moved ahead of Paul in Norway · Boys — #107 and #104 the year before became #99 and #105.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 46 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, David and Paul averaged 14.5 places apart, ending at #43 and #86.

  • Longest-running competitions

    David and Paul were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #73 and #602.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — David #32 in 1996, Paul #72 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1964 they stood at #7 and #4 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 3 places apart; by 2025 they were #45 and #286.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys80 shared years, 1945–2024

    David held the stronger position in 52 of those years, Paul in 28.

    Highest recorded here: David #31 in 2005, Paul #67 in 1946.

    The order changed in 1974: David moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #107 and #104; by 1974 that had become #99 and #105.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: David #69, Paul #370.

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

    David held the stronger position in 58 of those years, Paul in 4.

    Highest recorded here: David #1 in 1985, Paul #3 in 1978.

    The order changed in 1968: David moved ahead. In 1967 they stood at #7 and #5; by 1968 that had become #5 and #7.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: David #45, Paul #286.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys46 shared years, 1952–1998

    David held the stronger position in 46 of those years, Paul in 0.

    Highest recorded here: David #1 in 1961, Paul #4 in 1966.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1998: David #43, Paul #86.

  • New Zealand · Boys44 shared years, 1954–1998

    David held the stronger position in 44 of those years, Paul in 0.

    Highest recorded here: David #1 in 1960, Paul #3 in 1965.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1998: David #29, Paul #86.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: David #32 in 1996, Paul #72 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: David #73, Paul #602.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    David held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Paul in 0.

    Highest recorded here: David #9 in 1997, Paul #27 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: David #104, Paul #278.

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 Paul

Pairs where Paul 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 — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

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

Republic of Ireland 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, Paul
FieldDavidPaul
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'beloved', with a possible secondary sense of 'uncle' for the root.From the Roman name Paulus, meaning 'small' in Latin. Saint Paul, originally named Saul, converted to Christianity and became a key missionary figure, authoring several New Testament epistles.
OriginBiblical HebrewLatin
Pronunciation/ˈdeɪvɪd//ˈpɔːl/
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
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)Republic of Ireland · Boys #286 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • David is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Paul is recorded with a Latin origin.
  • David has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Paul.
  • David's recorded meaning differs from Paul's — see the table above for each.
  • 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

  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

Paul

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #73 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 recorded1954–1998

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 1965 (recorded 1954–1998).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #602 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys