Dennis vs Philip

Dennis and Philipcompared 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 1965, Dennis was ranked #98 and Philip #26 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1970, Dennis was ranked #100 and Philip #58 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Dennis was ranked #156 and Philip #91 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Dennis was ranked #655 and Philip #327 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2020, Dennis was ranked #392 and Philip #392 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Dennis was ranked #453 and Philip #461 among boys in England and Wales.

Dennis and Philip over time

Dennis and Philip appear together in 5 published lists, across 177 years of shared records. Philip held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Dennis 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.

Dennis reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Philip in 1. 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 2013, Philip moved ahead of Dennis in Norway · Boys — #81 and #91 the year before became #89 and #68.
Repeatedly exchanged positions
Dennis and Philip changed places 21 times in Norway · Boys between 1960 and 2025, ending at #156 and #91.
Closest over the longest run
Across 62 shared years in Norway · Boys, Dennis and Philip averaged 36.6 places apart, ending at #156 and #91.
Longest-running competitions
Dennis and Philip were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 62 years, from 1960 to 2025, ending at #156 and #91.

List by list

Norway · Boys62 shared years, 1960–2025
Dennis held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Philip in 38.
Highest recorded here: Dennis #70 in 2002, Philip #68 in 2013.
The order changed in 2013: Philip moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #81 and #91; by 2013 that had become #89 and #68.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Dennis #156, Philip #91.
Republic of Ireland · Boys56 shared years, 1964–2024
Dennis held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Philip in 56.
Highest recorded here: Dennis #170 in 1968, Philip #30 in 1978.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Dennis #655, Philip #327.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Dennis held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Philip in 26.
Highest recorded here: Dennis #316 in 2005, Philip #103 in 1996.
The order changed in 2024: Dennis moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #461 and #439; by 2024 that had become #453 and #461.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Dennis #453, Philip #461.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys19 shared years, 1952–1970
Dennis held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Philip in 19.
Highest recorded here: Dennis #34 in 1952, Philip #29 in 1958.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1970: Dennis #100, Philip #58.
New Zealand · Boys11 shared years, 1954–1965
Dennis held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Philip in 11.
Highest recorded here: Dennis #46 in 1954, Philip #20 in 1963.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1965: Dennis #98, Philip #26.

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 Philip

Pairs where Philip shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Kenneth vs Philip
In 1964 they stood at #41 and #36 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 5 places apart; by 2024 they were #785 and #327.
Kenneth · Philip · 60 shared years, 1964–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2024 Republic of Ireland ranking
Tommy vs Philip
Over 69 shared years in Norway · Boys, Philip rose about as far as Tommy fell — from #268 and #341 in 1948 to #503 and #103 in 2024.
Tommy · Philip · 69 shared years, 1948–2024 · Mirrored each other
See the 2024 Norway ranking
Kjetil vs Philip
Over 64 shared years in Norway · Boys, Philip rose about as far as Kjetil fell — from #216 and #341 in 1948 to #420 and #89 in 2022.
Kjetil · Philip · 64 shared years, 1948–2022 · Mirrored each other
See the 2022 Norway ranking
Ronny vs Philip
Over 51 shared years in Norway · Boys, Philip rose about as far as Ronny fell — from #283 and #341 in 1948 to #515 and #84 in 2011.
Ronny · Philip · 51 shared years, 1948–2011 · Mirrored each other
See the 2011 Norway ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Dennis, Philip
Field	Dennis	Philip
Record type	Official statistical record (evidence-only)	Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usage	male	male
Meaning	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Origin	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Pronunciation		Not yet recorded
Syllables	2	2
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	Norway · Boys #156 (2025)	Norway · Boys #91 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	88/100	88/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Dennis and Philip both have 2 syllables.
Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Dennis

Popularity journey

First recorded1952
First recorded at #34 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1970
Highest recorded position: #34 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1970).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #156 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys

Philip

Popularity journey

First recorded1948
First recorded at #341 among boys in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1992
Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New Zealand, in 1963 (recorded 1954–1992).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #91 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys