Elijah vs Isaac
Elijah and Isaac 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 Isaac #26 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Elijah was ranked #13 and Isaac #46 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Elijah was ranked #23 and Isaac #36 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Elijah was ranked #57 and Isaac #26 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Elijah was ranked #76 and Isaac #49 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Elijah was ranked #97 and Isaac #104 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Elijah and Isaac 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 Isaac over time
Elijah and Isaac appear together in 5 published lists, across 126 years of shared records. Isaac held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Elijah in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Isaac 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 2024, Elijah moved ahead of Isaac in England and Wales · Boys — #31 and #27 the year before became #23 and #37.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Elijah and Isaac averaged 26.6 places apart, ending at #7 and #26.
- Longest-running competitions
Elijah and Isaac were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #23 and #36.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Elijah held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Isaac in 28.
Highest recorded here: Elijah #23 in 2024, Isaac #20 in 2015.
The order changed in 2024: Elijah moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #31 and #27; by 2024 that had become #23 and #37.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Elijah #23, Isaac #36.
New Zealand · Boys26 shared years, 1997–2023
Elijah held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Isaac in 14.
Highest recorded here: Elijah #11 in 2020, Isaac #17 in 2010.
The order changed in 2012: Elijah moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #34 and #21; by 2012 that had become #29 and #31.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Elijah #13, Isaac #46.
Republic of Ireland · Boys26 shared years, 2000–2025
Elijah held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Isaac in 25.
Highest recorded here: Elijah #97 in 2025, Isaac #77 in 2014.
The order changed in 2025: Elijah moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #129 and #99; by 2025 that had become #97 and #104.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Elijah #97, Isaac #104.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys23 shared years, 2003–2025
Elijah held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Isaac in 15.
Highest recorded here: Elijah #7 in 2025, Isaac #8 in 2015.
The order changed in 2018: Elijah moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #21 and #15; by 2018 that had become #13 and #17.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Elijah #7, Isaac #26.
Northern Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 1999–2024
Elijah held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Isaac in 21.
Highest recorded here: Elijah #52 in 2023, Isaac #20 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Elijah #57, Isaac #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 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 Isaac
Pairs where Isaac shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Isaac vs Tom
In 1996 they stood at #104 and #102 in England and Wales · Boys, 2 places apart; by 2025 they were #36 and #976.
Isaac · Tom · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- George vs Isaac
George and Isaac changed places 14 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1981 and 2023, ending at #7 and #46.
George · Isaac · 42 shared years, 1981–2023 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
- Jack vs Isaac
Jack and Isaac both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — 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.
Jack · Isaac · 39 shared years, 1976–2025 · Moved together in several countries
- Isaac vs Kai
Isaac and Kai both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New South Wales, Australia · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Isaac · Kai · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Moved together in several countries
Other pairs with the same kind of relationship
Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — moved together in several countries.
- Christopher vs Paul
Christopher and Paul both fell over the same years in 6 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Norway · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Christopher · Paul · 80 shared years, 1946–2025 · Moved together in several countries
- Oliver vs Leo
Oliver and Leo both rose over the same years in 6 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Norway · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Oliver · Leo · 63 shared years, 1959–2025 · Moved together in several countries
- Oliver vs Luca
Oliver and Luca both rose over the same years in 6 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Norway · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Oliver · Luca · 43 shared years, 1973–2025 · Moved together in several countries
- Amelia vs Sofia
Amelia and Sofia both rose over the same years in 5 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; New South Wales, Australia · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Norway · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Amelia · Sofia · 36 shared years, 1972–2025 · Moved together in several countries
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 | Isaac |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Traditionally understood as 'he will laugh' or 'he laughs', tied to the biblical narrative in which Abraham and Sarah laugh at the prophecy of Isaac's birth in their old age. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Biblical Hebrew, transmitted into English via Greek Isaak and Late Latin Isaac |
| Pronunciation | /ɪˈlaɪdʒə/ | /ˈaɪzək/ |
| 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, Norway, New Zealand |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #7 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #26 (2025) |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Elijah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Isaac is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, transmitted into English via Greek Isaak and Late Latin Isaac origin.
- Elijah has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Isaac.
- Elijah's recorded meaning differs from Isaac'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
Isaac
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1990–2025
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2015 (recorded 1990–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #36 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys