Namewise

Ezra vs Theo

Ezra and Theocompared 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.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Ezra was ranked #91 and Theo #4 among boys in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Ezra was ranked #42 and Theo #5 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Ezra was ranked #38 and Theo #12 among boys in England and Wales.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2023, Ezra was ranked #25 and Theo #19 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Ezra was ranked #156 and Theo #21 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2025, Ezra was ranked #58 and Theo #32 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Ezra was ranked #1302 and Theo #5891 among girls in England and Wales.

Ezra and Theo over time

Ezra and Theo appear together in 4 published lists, across 66 years of shared records. Theo held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Ezra in 0.

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.

Theo reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Ezra 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.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2022, Theo moved ahead of Ezra in New Zealand · Boys — #32 and #42 the year before became #24 and #23.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Ezra #38 in 2023, Theo #9 in 2022.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Ezra held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Theo in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Ezra #38 in 2023, Theo #9 in 2022.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Ezra #38, Theo #12.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys15 shared years, 2001–2025

    Ezra held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Theo in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Ezra #156 in 2025, Theo #13 in 2024.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ezra #156, Theo #21.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys12 shared years, 2013–2024

    Ezra held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Theo in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Ezra #23 in 2023, Theo #4 in 2022.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Ezra #42, Theo #5.

  • New Zealand · Boys10 shared years, 2014–2023

    Ezra held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Theo in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Ezra #24 in 2022, Theo #19 in 2023.

    The order changed in 2022: Theo moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #32 and #42; by 2022 that had become #24 and #23.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Ezra #25, Theo #19.

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 Ezra

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

Other comparisons involving Theo

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

  • Arthur vs Theo

    Arthur and Theo both rose over the same years in 5 registrars — England and Wales · 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.

    Arthur · Theo · 37 shared years, 1986–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Henry vs Theo

    Henry and Theo both rose over the same years in 5 registrars — England and Wales · 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.

    Henry · Theo · 37 shared years, 1986–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Theo vs Archie

    Theo and Archie both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · 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.

    Theo · Archie · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Theo vs Arlo

    Theo and Arlo both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · 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.

    Theo · Arlo · 27 shared years, 1999–2025 · Moved together in several countries

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.

All 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.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Ezra, Theo
FieldEzraTheo
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'help', with a fuller theophoric sense 'God has helped'.Gift of God.
OriginBiblical HebrewGreek, via Theodore/Theodora
Pronunciation/ˈɛzrə//ˈθioʊ/
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedTeddy
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNew South Wales, Australia · Boys #58 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #21 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Ezra is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Theo is recorded with a Greek, via Theodore/Theodora origin.
  • Ezra has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Theo.
  • Ezra's recorded meaning differs from Theo's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Ezra a "medium" Data Confidence level and Theo a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Ezra

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1996

    First recorded at #633 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

  2. Highest recorded2013–2024

    Highest recorded position: #23 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2023 (recorded 2013–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #58 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

Theo

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1986

    First recorded at #637 among boys in Norway in 1986 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded2001–2024

    Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2022 (recorded 2001–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #32 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys