Namewise

Edward vs Joseph

Edward and Josephcompared 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 2025, Edward was ranked #31 and Joseph #59 among boys in England and Wales.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2025, Edward was ranked #75 and Joseph #33 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Edward was ranked #177 and Joseph #34 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Edward was ranked #125 and Joseph #64 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2023, Edward was ranked #73 and Joseph #69 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Edward was ranked #181 and Joseph #82 among boys in Scotland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Edward was ranked #189 and Joseph #465 among boys in Norway.

Edward and Joseph over time

Edward and Joseph appear together in 6 published lists, across 317 years of shared records. Joseph held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Edward in 1.

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 3 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 2017, Edward moved ahead of Joseph in England and Wales · Boys — #23 and #22 the year before became #23 and #28.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Edward and Joseph changed places 13 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 2023, ending at #73 and #69.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Edward and Joseph averaged 23.7 places apart, ending at #31 and #59.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Edward and Joseph were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #31 and #59.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Edward #17 in 1965, Joseph #11 in 1964.

List by list

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys70 shared years, 1952–2025

    Edward held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Joseph in 64.

    Highest recorded here: Edward #42 in 2015, Joseph #33 in 2025.

    The order changed in 2021: Joseph moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #42 and #49; by 2021 that had become #46 and #44.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Edward #75, Joseph #33.

  • Norway · Boys65 shared years, 1955–2025

    Edward held the stronger position in 47 of those years, Joseph in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Edward #168 in 2012, Joseph #272 in 1985.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Edward #189, Joseph #465.

  • New Zealand · Boys62 shared years, 1954–2023

    Edward held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Joseph in 50.

    Highest recorded here: Edward #51 in 1955, Joseph #18 in 1988.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Edward #73, Joseph #69.

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

    Edward held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Joseph in 62.

    Highest recorded here: Edward #17 in 1965, Joseph #11 in 1964.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Edward #125, Joseph #64.

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

    Edward held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Joseph in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Edward #23 in 2016, Joseph #7 in 2000.

    The order changed in 2017: Edward moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #23 and #22; by 2017 that had become #23 and #28.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Edward #31, Joseph #59.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Edward held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Joseph in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Edward #104 in 1997, Joseph #22 in 2013.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Edward #177, Joseph #34.

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 Edward

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

Other comparisons involving Joseph

Pairs where Joseph 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 — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

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

New Zealand 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 Edward, Joseph
FieldEdwardJoseph
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Pronunciation
Syllables22
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 observationEngland and Wales · Boys #31 (2025)New South Wales, Australia · Boys #33 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Edward and Joseph both have 2 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Edward

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1950

    First recorded at #324 among boys in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #17 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #31 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Joseph

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1949

    First recorded at #326 among boys in Norway in 1949 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in England and Wales, in 2000 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #59 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys