Gareth vs Henry
Gareth and Henrycompared 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, Gareth was ranked #2088 and Henry #14 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2021, Gareth was ranked #433 and Henry #55 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1988, Gareth was ranked #83 and Henry #97 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2021, Gareth was ranked #552 and Henry #108 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Gareth and Henry over time
Gareth and Henry appear together in 3 published lists, across 104 years of shared records. Henry held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Gareth 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.
Gareth reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Henry 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 2007, Henry moved ahead of Gareth in Northern Ireland · Boys — #124 and #167 the year before became #199 and #149.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Gareth and Henry changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2021, ending at #552 and #108.
- Longest-running competitions
Gareth and Henry were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 55 years, from 1964 to 2021, ending at #552 and #108.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys55 shared years, 1964–2021
Gareth held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Henry in 24.
Highest recorded here: Gareth #42 in 1980, Henry #60 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Gareth #552, Henry #108.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Gareth held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Henry in 29.
Highest recorded here: Gareth #117 in 1996, Henry #10 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Gareth #2088, Henry #14.
Northern Ireland · Boys20 shared years, 1997–2021
Gareth held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Henry in 10.
Highest recorded here: Gareth #47 in 1997, Henry #51 in 2014.
The order changed in 2007: Henry moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #124 and #167; by 2007 that had become #199 and #149.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Gareth #433, Henry #55.
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 | Gareth | Henry |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Home ruler, estate ruler. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Germanic, via Old French Henri |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈhɛnɹi/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Harry, Hal, Heinrich, Henri |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #2088 (2024) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #6 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Henry has a recorded origin (Germanic, via Old French Henri); Gareth does not have one recorded yet.
- Gareth and Henry both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Henry; Gareth doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Gareth a "medium" Data Confidence level and Henry a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Gareth
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #214 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 recorded1971–1989
Highest recorded position: #30 among boys in New Zealand, in 1982 (recorded 1971–1989).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2088 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys
Henry
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #102 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1993–2025
Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2023 (recorded 1993–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #6 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys