George vs Oliver
George and Olivercompared 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.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, George was ranked #24 and Oliver #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, George was ranked #7 and Oliver #2 among boys in New Zealand.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, George was ranked #364 and Oliver #2 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, George was ranked #6 and Oliver #3 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, George was ranked #48 and Oliver #7 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, George was ranked #40 and Oliver #10 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, George was ranked #112 and Oliver #18 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
George and Oliver over time
George and Oliver appear together in 6 published lists, across 243 years of shared records. Oliver held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, George in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Oliver reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, George in 2. 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 1998, Oliver moved ahead of George in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #67 and #68 the year before became #70 and #58.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
George and Oliver changed places 9 times in Norway · Boys between 1959 and 2023, ending at #364 and #2.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, George and Oliver averaged 5.4 places apart, ending at #6 and #3.
- Mirrored each other
Over 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Oliver rose about as far as George fell — from #52 and #68 in 1964 to #112 and #18 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
George and Oliver were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 37 years, from 1989 to 2025, ending at #24 and #2.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
George held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Oliver in 37.
Highest recorded here: George #52 in 1964, Oliver #14 in 1975.
The order changed in 2004: Oliver moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #108 and #138; by 2004 that had become #151 and #121.
Most recent shared year, 2025: George #112, Oliver #18.
Norway · Boys47 shared years, 1959–2023
George held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Oliver in 32.
Highest recorded here: George #253 in 1968, Oliver #1 in 2018.
The order changed in 1990: Oliver moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #385 and #434; by 1990 that had become #456 and #231.
Most recent shared year, 2023: George #364, Oliver #2.
New Zealand · Boys40 shared years, 1983–2023
George held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Oliver in 27.
Highest recorded here: George #5 in 2021, Oliver #1 in 2013.
The order changed in 1999: Oliver moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #35 and #40; by 1999 that had become #41 and #34.
Most recent shared year, 2023: George #7, Oliver #2.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys37 shared years, 1989–2025
George held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Oliver in 29.
Highest recorded here: George #24 in 2023, Oliver #1 in 2014.
The order changed in 1998: Oliver moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #67 and #68; by 1998 that had become #70 and #58.
Most recent shared year, 2025: George #24, Oliver #2.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
George held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Oliver in 24.
Highest recorded here: George #2 in 2018, Oliver #1 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: George #6, Oliver #3.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
George held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Oliver in 27.
Highest recorded here: George #25 in 2023, Oliver #3 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: George #40, Oliver #10.
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 | George | Oliver |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Farmer, earth-worker. | Commonly interpreted as 'olive tree', though the true root is debated. |
| Origin | Greek | Old French |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdʒɔːdʒ/ | /ˈɒlɪvər/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Ollie, Olivier, Oliviero |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #24 (2025) | United Kingdom #1 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- George is recorded with a Greek origin, while Oliver is recorded with a Old French origin.
- George has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Oliver.
- George's recorded meaning differs from Oliver's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
George
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #345 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in England and Wales, in 2018 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #24 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Oliver
Popularity journey
First recorded1959
First recorded at #478 among boys in Norway in 1959 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2009 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys