David vs Roy
David and Roycompared 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 1955, David was ranked #3 and Roy #88 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1955, David was ranked #6 and Roy #99 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2005, David was ranked #34 and Roy #265 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, David was ranked #45 and Roy #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, David was ranked #64 and Roy #800 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2024, David was ranked #69 and Roy #458 among boys in Norway.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, David was ranked #71 and Roy #619 among boys in Scotland.
David and Roy over time
David and Roy appear together in 3 published lists, across 159 years of shared records. David held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Roy 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.
Roy reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and David 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 moved ahead of the other
In 1980, David moved ahead of Roy in Norway · Boys — #81 and #65 the year before became #66 and #69.
- Longest-running competitions
David and Roy were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 70 years, from 1945 to 2024, ending at #69 and #458.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — David #32 in 1996, Roy #399 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys70 shared years, 1945–2024
David held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Roy in 35.
Highest recorded here: David #31 in 2005, Roy #29 in 1967.
The order changed in 1980: David moved ahead. In 1979 they stood at #81 and #65; by 1980 that had become #66 and #69.
Most recent shared year, 2024: David #69, Roy #458.
Republic of Ireland · Boys60 shared years, 1964–2025
David held the stronger position in 60 of those years, Roy in 0.
Highest recorded here: David #1 in 1985, Roy #101 in 1969.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: David #45, Roy #829.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
David held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Roy in 0.
Highest recorded here: David #32 in 1996, Roy #399 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: David #64, Roy #800.
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 | Roy |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 1 |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (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); Roy does not have one recorded yet.
- David has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Roy.
- A meaning is recorded for David; Roy 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
Roy
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #88 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2024
Highest recorded position: #29 among boys in Norway, in 1967 (recorded 1945–2024).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys