Elijah vs Hunter
Elijah and Hunter compared 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 South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Elijah was ranked #7 and Hunter #60 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Elijah was ranked #13 and Hunter #36 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Elijah was ranked #23 and Hunter #91 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Elijah was ranked #76 and Hunter #52 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Elijah was ranked #57 and Hunter #93 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Elijah was ranked #97 and Hunter #159 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2019, Elijah was ranked #5591 and Hunter #3151 among girls in England and Wales.
Elijah and Hunter over time
Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.
Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.
Elijah and Hunter over time
Elijah and Hunter appear together in 5 published lists, across 105 years of shared records. Elijah held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Hunter in 1.
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.
Hunter reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Elijah 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 2021, Elijah moved ahead of Hunter in New Zealand · Boys — #11 and #10 the year before became #11 and #21.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Elijah and Hunter changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 2005 and 2025, ending at #7 and #60.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Elijah and Hunter averaged 13.9 places apart, ending at #7 and #60.
- Longest-running competitions
Elijah and Hunter were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #23 and #91.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Elijah held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Hunter in 0.
Highest recorded here: Elijah #23 in 2024, Hunter #44 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Elijah #23, Hunter #91.
New Zealand · Boys25 shared years, 1999–2023
Elijah held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Hunter in 19.
Highest recorded here: Elijah #11 in 2020, Hunter #5 in 2017.
The order changed in 2021: Elijah moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #11 and #10; by 2021 that had become #11 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Elijah #13, Hunter #36.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys21 shared years, 2005–2025
Elijah held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Hunter in 9.
Highest recorded here: Elijah #7 in 2025, Hunter #16 in 2017.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Elijah #7, Hunter #60.
Northern Ireland · Boys15 shared years, 2008–2024
Elijah held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Hunter in 1.
Highest recorded here: Elijah #52 in 2023, Hunter #70 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Elijah #57, Hunter #93.
Republic of Ireland · Boys14 shared years, 2012–2025
Elijah held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Hunter in 3.
Highest recorded here: Elijah #97 in 2025, Hunter #91 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Elijah #97, Hunter #159.
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 Elijah
Pairs where Elijah shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Elijah vs Archie
Elijah and Archie both rose over the same years in 5 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Elijah · Archie · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Moved together in several countries
- Elijah vs Hugo
Elijah and Hugo both rose over the same years in 5 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Elijah · Hugo · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Moved together in several countries
- Noah vs Elijah
Noah and Elijah both rose over the same years in 5 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Noah · Elijah · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Moved together in several countries
- Oliver vs Elijah
Oliver and Elijah both rose over the same years in 5 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Oliver · Elijah · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Moved together in several countries
Other comparisons involving Hunter
Pairs where Hunter shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Noah vs Hunter
In 2017, Noah moved ahead of Hunter in New Zealand · Boys — #7 and #6 the year before became #3 and #5.
Noah · Hunter · 23 shared years, 2001–2023 · One moved ahead of the other
- Leo vs Hunter
In 2018, Leo moved ahead of Hunter in New Zealand · Boys — #11 and #5 the year before became #4 and #5.
Leo · Hunter · 21 shared years, 2003–2023 · One moved ahead of the other
- Jacob vs Hunter
In 2015, Hunter moved ahead of Jacob in New Zealand · Boys — #10 and #12 the year before became #10 and #7.
Jacob · Hunter · 25 shared years, 1999–2023 · One moved ahead of the other
- Lucas vs Hunter
Across 23 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Lucas and Hunter averaged 10.3 places apart, ending at #16 and #36.
Lucas · Hunter · 23 shared years, 2001–2023 · Closest over the longest run
Other pairs with the same kind of relationship
Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — close in one country, far apart in another.
- Ivy vs Evie
Ivy and Evie averaged 4.8 places apart in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, and 408 places apart in England and Wales · Girls.
Ivy · Evie · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Close in one country, far apart in another
- Ella vs Harper
Ella and Harper averaged 6.0 places apart in New Zealand · Girls, and 944 places apart in England and Wales · Girls.
Ella · Harper · 24 shared years, 2001–2025 · Close in one country, far apart in another
- Mia vs Harper
Mia and Harper averaged 6.3 places apart in New Zealand · Girls, and 945 places apart in England and Wales · Girls.
Mia · Harper · 24 shared years, 2001–2025 · Close in one country, far apart in another
- Ivy vs Hazel
Ivy and Hazel averaged 6.4 places apart in New Zealand · Girls, and 354 places apart in England and Wales · Girls.
Ivy · Hazel · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Close in one country, far apart in another
Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s
Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.
- Grace vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #41 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2025 they were #27 and #4867.
Grace · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Ella vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #56 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2025 they were #46 and #4867.
Ella · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Jasmine vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #55 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #102 and #4867.
Jasmine · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Anna vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #47 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2025 they were #142 and #4867.
Anna · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
Side by side
| Field | Elijah | Hunter |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Traditionally rendered as 'my God is Yahweh', reflecting a common theophoric naming pattern in Hebrew. | An English occupational surname, from Old English 'hunta'/'huntian' ('to hunt') — someone who hunted for a living. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | English, an occupational surname describing someone who hunted |
| Pronunciation | /ɪˈlaɪdʒə/ | /ˈhʌn.təɹ/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | New South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, New Zealand | New South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, New Zealand |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #7 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #60 (2025) |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Elijah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Hunter is recorded with a English, an occupational surname describing someone who hunted origin.
- Elijah has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Hunter.
- Elijah's recorded meaning differs from Hunter's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Elijah
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #312 among boys in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded2003–2025
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025 (recorded 2003–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #23 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys
Hunter
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #2357 among boys in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded1999–2023
Highest recorded position: #5 among boys in New Zealand, in 2017 (recorded 1999–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #4867 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls