Fintan vs Karl
Fintan and Karlcompared 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 2022, Fintan was ranked #285 and Karl #414 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Fintan was ranked #582 and Karl #655 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Fintan was ranked #2671 and Karl #2088 among boys in England and Wales.
Fintan and Karl over time
Fintan and Karl appear together in 3 published lists, across 111 years of shared records. Karl held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Fintan 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.
Karl reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Fintan 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 2006, Fintan moved ahead of Karl in Northern Ireland · Boys — #145 and #137 the year before became #163 and #167.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Fintan and Karl changed places 5 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2024, ending at #582 and #655.
- Longest-running competitions
Fintan and Karl were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 59 years, from 1964 to 2024, ending at #582 and #655.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys59 shared years, 1964–2024
Fintan held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Karl in 53.
Highest recorded here: Fintan #85 in 1965, Karl #47 in 1989.
The order changed in 2020: Fintan moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #764 and #564; by 2020 that had become #496 and #741.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Fintan #582, Karl #655.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Fintan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Karl in 29.
Highest recorded here: Fintan #480 in 2000, Karl #110 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Fintan #2671, Karl #2088.
Northern Ireland · Boys23 shared years, 1997–2022
Fintan held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Karl in 9.
Highest recorded here: Fintan #123 in 2007, Karl #93 in 1997.
The order changed in 2006: Fintan moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #145 and #137; by 2006 that had become #163 and #167.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Fintan #285, Karl #414.
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 | Fintan | Karl |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Northern Ireland · Boys #278 (2024) | Norway · Boys #179 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Fintan has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Karl.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Fintan
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #100 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 recorded1964–2024
Highest recorded position: #85 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2024).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2671 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys
Karl
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #35 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1962–1994
Highest recorded position: #33 among boys in New Zealand, in 1973 (recorded 1962–1994).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #179 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys