Namewise

David vs Ragnar

David and Ragnarcompared 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 Ragnar #1460 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, David was ranked #71 and Ragnar #535 among boys in Scotland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, David was ranked #88 and Ragnar #196 among boys in Norway.

David and Ragnar over time

David and Ragnar appear together in 2 published lists, across 92 years of shared records. David held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Ragnar 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.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys81 shared years, 19452025

    David held the stronger position in 57 of those years, Ragnar in 24.

    Highest recorded here: David #31 in 2005, Ragnar #42 in 1946.

    The order changed in 1970: David moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #165 and #156; by 1970 that had become #127 and #153.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: David #88, Ragnar #196.

  • England and Wales · Boys11 shared years, 20142024

    David held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Ragnar in 0.

    Highest recorded here: David #43 in 2015, Ragnar #1218 in 2021.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: David #64, Ragnar #1460.

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

Side-by-side comparison of David, Ragnar
FieldDavidRagnar
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'beloved', with a possible secondary sense of 'uncle' for the root.Not yet recorded
OriginBiblical HebrewNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈdeɪvɪd/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, GB-SCT, NO
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #45 (2025)Norway · Boys #196 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • David has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Ragnar does not have one recorded yet.
  • David and Ragnar both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for David; Ragnar doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-SCT, NO.

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 #88 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys

Ragnar

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #44 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: #42 among boys in Norway, in 1946 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #196 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys