Gary vs Idris
Gary and Idriscompared 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, Gary was ranked #2671 and Idris #153 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2014, Gary was ranked #346 and Idris #398 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Gary was ranked #619 and Idris #619 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Gary was ranked #770 and Idris #770 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Gary and Idris over time
Gary and Idris appear together in 1 published list, across 29 years of shared records. Idris held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Gary in 0.
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.
Gary reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Idris 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Gary held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Idris in 16.
Highest recorded here: Gary #147 in 1996, Idris #153 in 2024.
The order changed in 2010: Idris moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #576 and #596; by 2010 that had become #897 and #603.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Gary #2671, Idris #153.
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 | Gary | Idris |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | An English surname originally a short form of Norman given names beginning with the Old German element 'ger' ('spear'). Adopted as a stage name by actor Gary Cooper, after Gary, Indiana. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Germanic (surname origin) | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɡæɹ.i/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | Scotland · Boys #619 (2024) | Norway · Boys #200 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Gary has a recorded origin (Germanic (surname origin)); Idris does not have one recorded yet.
- Gary and Idris both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Gary; Idris doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Gary
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #8 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 recorded1952–1984
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1984).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2671 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys
Idris
Popularity journey
First recorded1968
First recorded at #540 among boys in Norway in 1968 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #153 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #200 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys