Namewise

Gearoid vs Samuel

Gearoid 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.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 1996, Gearoid was ranked #2863 and Samuel #9 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2020, Gearoid was ranked #741 and Samuel #67 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2023, Gearoid was ranked #395 and Samuel #79 among boys in Northern Ireland.

Gearoid and Samuel over time

Gearoid and Samuel appear together in 1 published list, across 55 years of shared records. Samuel held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Gearoid in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Gearoid reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 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.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Gearoid and Samuel changed places 8 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2020, ending at #741 and #67.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Gearoid and Samuel were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 55 years, from 1964 to 2020, ending at #741 and #67.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys55 shared years, 19642020

    Gearoid held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Samuel in 42.

    Highest recorded here: Gearoid #100 in 1988, Samuel #33 in 2013.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2020: Gearoid #741, Samuel #67.

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 Gearoid, Samuel
FieldGearoidSamuel
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 usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IEAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorthern Ireland · Boys #395 (2023)New South Wales, Australia · Boys #38 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

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

How each name got here

Gearoid

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #164 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2020

    Highest recorded position: #100 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1988 (recorded 1964–2020).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2023

    Most recently recorded at #395 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2023.

    Northern Ireland · 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 #38 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys