Namewise

Filip vs Joseph

Filip and Josephcompared 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.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Filip was ranked #27 and Joseph #465 among boys in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Filip was ranked #342 and Joseph #59 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Filip was ranked #372 and Joseph #64 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2023, Filip was ranked #395 and Joseph #76 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Filip was ranked #330 and Joseph #82 among boys in Scotland.

Filip and Joseph over time

Filip and Joseph appear together in 4 published lists, across 122 years of shared records. Joseph held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Filip in 1.

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.

Joseph reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Filip 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

    Filip and Joseph changed places 5 times in Norway · Boys between 1962 and 2025, ending at #27 and #465.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Filip and Joseph were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #342 and #59.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Filip #101 in 2011, Joseph #22 in 2013.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys52 shared years, 19622025

    Filip held the stronger position in 47 of those years, Joseph in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Filip #13 in 2020, Joseph #272 in 1985.

    The order changed in 1979: Filip moved ahead. In 1978 they stood at #514 and #421; by 1979 that had become #276 and #531.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Filip #27, Joseph #465.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 19962025

    Filip held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Joseph in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Filip #135 in 2013, Joseph #7 in 2000.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Filip #342, Joseph #59.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys23 shared years, 20032025

    Filip held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Joseph in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Filip #71 in 2010, Joseph #31 in 2004.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Filip #372, Joseph #64.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys17 shared years, 20072023

    Filip held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Joseph in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Filip #101 in 2011, Joseph #22 in 2013.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Filip #395, Joseph #76.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Filip, Joseph
FieldFilipJoseph
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningTraditionally interpreted as 'lover of horses' or 'horse-friend'.Not yet recorded
OriginGreek, via Philip; Filip is the Scandinavian/Slavic formNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈfi.lip/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NOAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Boys #27 (2025)New South Wales, Australia · Boys #33 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Filip has a recorded origin (Greek, via Philip; Filip is the Scandinavian/Slavic form); Joseph does not have one recorded yet.
  • Filip and Joseph both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Filip; Joseph doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.

How each name got here

Filip

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1962

    First recorded at #489 among boys in Norway in 1962 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1962–2025

    Highest recorded position: #13 among boys in Norway, in 2020 (recorded 1962–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #342 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Joseph

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1949

    First recorded at #326 among boys in Norway in 1949 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in England and Wales, in 2000 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #59 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys