Emmet vs Timothy
Emmet and Timothycompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Emmet was ranked #829 and Timothy #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2023, Emmet was ranked #4107 and Timothy #396 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Emmet was ranked #414 and Timothy #414 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Emmet and Timothy over time
Emmet and Timothy appear together in 3 published lists, across 106 years of shared records. Timothy held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Emmet in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Timothy reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Emmet 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Emmet and Timothy changed places 4 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2022, ending at #414 and #414.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 25 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Emmet and Timothy averaged 53.4 places apart, ending at #414 and #414.
- Longest-running competitions
Emmet and Timothy were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 61 years, from 1965 to 2025, ending at #829 and #329.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Emmet #1578 in 1997, Timothy #82 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1965–2025
Emmet held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Timothy in 55.
Highest recorded here: Emmet #82 in 1992, Timothy #29 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emmet #829, Timothy #329.
Northern Ireland · Boys25 shared years, 1997–2022
Emmet held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Timothy in 19.
Highest recorded here: Emmet #118 in 1999, Timothy #75 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Emmet #414, Timothy #414.
England and Wales · Boys20 shared years, 1996–2023
Emmet held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Timothy in 20.
Highest recorded here: Emmet #1578 in 1997, Timothy #82 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Emmet #4107, Timothy #396.
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 | Emmet | Timothy |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | From Greek Timotheos, literally 'honouring God', combining 'timao' (to honour) with 'theos' (god). Saint Timothy accompanied the Apostle Paul on missionary journeys. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Greek |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈtɪm.ə.θi/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #329 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Timothy has a recorded origin (Greek); Emmet does not have one recorded yet.
- Emmet has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Timothy.
- A meaning is recorded for Timothy; Emmet doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Emmet
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #207 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1965–2025
Highest recorded position: #82 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1992 (recorded 1965–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Timothy
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #61 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 recorded1954–2005
Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New Zealand, in 1981 (recorded 1954–2005).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys