Fergal vs Graham
Fergal and Grahamcompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2010, Fergal was ranked #339 and Graham #387 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Fergal was ranked #660 and Graham #770 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Fergal was ranked #4270 and Graham #5119 among boys in England and Wales.
Fergal and Graham over time
Fergal and Graham appear together in 3 published lists, across 83 years of shared records. Graham held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Fergal in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Graham reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Fergal 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
Fergal and Graham changed places 10 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2023, ending at #660 and #770.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 53 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Fergal and Graham averaged 43.5 places apart, ending at #660 and #770.
- Longest-running competitions
Fergal and Graham were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 53 years, from 1964 to 2023, ending at #660 and #770.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys53 shared years, 1964–2023
Fergal held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Graham in 30.
Highest recorded here: Fergal #46 in 1970, Graham #52 in 1984.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Fergal #660, Graham #770.
England and Wales · Boys22 shared years, 1996–2024
Fergal held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Graham in 21.
Highest recorded here: Fergal #1130 in 1999, Graham #341 in 1996.
The order changed in 2024: Fergal moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #4789 and #2165; by 2024 that had become #4270 and #5119.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Fergal #4270, Graham #5119.
Northern Ireland · Boys8 shared years, 1997–2010
Fergal held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Graham in 3.
Highest recorded here: Fergal #151 in 2001, Graham #137 in 1998.
The order changed in 2001: Fergal moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #224 and #224; by 2001 that had become #151 and #280.
Most recent shared year, 2010: Fergal #339, Graham #387.
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 | Fergal | Graham |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #4270 (2024) | Scotland · Boys #727 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Fergal and Graham both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Fergal
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #93 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 recorded1964–2023
Highest recorded position: #46 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1970 (recorded 1964–2023).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #4270 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys
Graham
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #20 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 recorded1952–1979
Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1979).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #5119 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys