Namewise

Garry vs Samuel

Garry and Samuelcompared 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 2002, Garry was ranked #281 and Samuel #36 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2009, Garry was ranked #701 and Samuel #37 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Garry was ranked #5137 and Samuel #66 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Garry was ranked #727 and Samuel #69 among boys in Scotland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1974, Garry was ranked #98 and Samuel #80 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

Garry and Samuel over time

Garry and Samuel appear together in 2 published lists, across 72 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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.

Garry reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Samuel in none. 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 1988, Samuel moved ahead of Garry in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #115 and #147 the year before became #131 and #99.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Garry and Samuel were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 45 years, from 1964 to 2009, ending at #701 and #37.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1964 they stood at #114 and #119 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 5 places apart; by 2009 they were #701 and #37.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys45 shared years, 1964–2009

    Garry held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Samuel in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Garry #79 in 1980, Samuel #34 in 2004.

    The order changed in 1988: Samuel moved ahead. In 1987 they stood at #115 and #147; by 1988 that had become #131 and #99.

    Most recent shared year, 2009: Garry #701, Samuel #37.

  • England and Wales · Boys27 shared years, 1996–2025

    Garry held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Samuel in 27.

    Highest recorded here: Garry #573 in 1996, Samuel #6 in 2004.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Garry #5137, Samuel #66.

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 Garry

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

Other comparisons involving Samuel

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

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2000s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2000 and 2009.

The 2000s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Garry, Samuel
FieldGarrySamuel
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedTraditionally rendered as 'name of God', though also popularly interpreted as 'God has heard' — sources differ on which root is emphasised.
OriginNot yet recordedBiblical Hebrew, via Greek Samouel
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈsæmjuːəl/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
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 observationEngland and Wales · Boys #5137 (2025)New South Wales, Australia · Boys #38 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Samuel has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Samouel); Garry does not have one recorded yet.
  • Garry and Samuel both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Samuel; Garry doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Garry

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #19 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–1974

    Highest recorded position: #15 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1954 (recorded 1952–1974).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #5137 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Samuel

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #339 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1967–2023

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 1998 (recorded 1967–2023).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #66 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys