George vs Owen
George and Owencompared 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, George was ranked #6 and Owen #155 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2017, George was ranked #7 and Owen #91 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2021, George was ranked #26 and Owen #95 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, George was ranked #40 and Owen #216 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, George was ranked #48 and Owen #95 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, George was ranked #112 and Owen #317 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
George and Owen over time
George and Owen appear together in 5 published lists, across 145 years of shared records. George held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Owen in 2.
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.
Owen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, George 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 2013, George moved ahead of Owen in Northern Ireland · Boys — #101 and #101 the year before became #68 and #161.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
George and Owen changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #112 and #317.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, George and Owen averaged 53.5 places apart, ending at #112 and #317.
- Mirrored each other
Over 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, George rose about as far as Owen fell — from #19 and #100 in 1996 to #6 and #155 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
George and Owen were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #112 and #317.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
George held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Owen in 39.
Highest recorded here: George #52 in 1964, Owen #68 in 1978.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: George #112, Owen #317.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
George held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Owen in 0.
Highest recorded here: George #2 in 2018, Owen #31 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: George #6, Owen #155.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
George held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Owen in 15.
Highest recorded here: George #25 in 2023, Owen #46 in 1999.
The order changed in 2013: George moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #101 and #101; by 2013 that had become #68 and #161.
Most recent shared year, 2024: George #40, Owen #216.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys18 shared years, 1953–2021
George held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Owen in 0.
Highest recorded here: George #26 in 2021, Owen #71 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: George #26, Owen #95.
New Zealand · Boys8 shared years, 1954–2017
George held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Owen in 0.
Highest recorded here: George #7 in 2017, Owen #75 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: George #7, Owen #91.
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 | Owen |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Farmer, earth-worker. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Greek | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdʒɔːdʒ/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #24 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #317 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- George has a recorded origin (Greek); Owen does not have one recorded yet.
- George and Owen both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for George; Owen 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
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
Owen
Popularity journey
First recorded1953
First recorded at #98 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #31 among boys in England and Wales, in 2002 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #317 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys