Evan vs Oliver
Evan and Olivercompared 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 2024, Evan was ranked #178 and Oliver #3 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Evan was ranked #350 and Oliver #5 among boys in Norway.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Evan was ranked #181 and Oliver #7 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Evan was ranked #125 and Oliver #10 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Evan was ranked #80 and Oliver #18 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Evan and Oliver over time
Evan and Oliver appear together in 3 published lists, across 114 years of shared records. Oliver held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Evan in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Evan and Oliver were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 57 years, from 1969 to 2025, ending at #80 and #18.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Evan #70 in 2009, Oliver #1 in 2009.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys57 shared years, 1969–2025
Evan held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Oliver in 30.
Highest recorded here: Evan #23 in 2007, Oliver #14 in 1975.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Evan #80, Oliver #18.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Evan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Oliver in 29.
Highest recorded here: Evan #70 in 2009, Oliver #1 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Evan #178, Oliver #3.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Evan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Oliver in 28.
Highest recorded here: Evan #79 in 2010, Oliver #3 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Evan #125, Oliver #10.
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 | Evan | Oliver |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Commonly interpreted as 'olive tree', though the true root is debated. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Old French |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɒlɪvər/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Ollie, Olivier, Oliviero |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #80 (2025) | United Kingdom #1 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Oliver has a recorded origin (Old French); Evan does not have one recorded yet.
- Evan has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Oliver.
- A meaning is recorded for Oliver; Evan doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Evan
Popularity journey
First recorded1969
First recorded at #291 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1969 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1969–2025
Highest recorded position: #23 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2007 (recorded 1969–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #350 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Oliver
Popularity journey
First recorded1959
First recorded at #478 among boys in Norway in 1959 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2009 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys