Gerard vs Philip
Gerard and Philipcompared 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 Zealand · Boys
In 1965, Gerard was ranked #96 and Philip #26 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1966, Gerard was ranked #84 and Philip #48 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Gerard was ranked #285 and Philip #311 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Gerard was ranked #348 and Philip #309 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Gerard was ranked #1675 and Philip #461 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Gerard was ranked #727 and Philip #619 among boys in Scotland.
Gerard and Philip over time
Gerard and Philip appear together in 5 published lists, across 136 years of shared records. Philip held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Gerard in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 2 of the lists they share.
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 2016, Gerard moved ahead of Philip in Northern Ireland · Boys — #201 and #187 the year before became #148 and #358.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Gerard and Philip changed places 9 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #348 and #309.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Gerard and Philip averaged 24.7 places apart, ending at #348 and #309.
- Longest-running competitions
Gerard and Philip were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #348 and #309.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Gerard #462 in 1997, Philip #103 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Gerard held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Philip in 29.
Highest recorded here: Gerard #10 in 1964, Philip #30 in 1978.
The order changed in 2025: Philip moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #252 and #327; by 2025 that had become #348 and #309.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Gerard #348, Philip #309.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Gerard held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Philip in 29.
Highest recorded here: Gerard #462 in 1997, Philip #103 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Gerard #1675, Philip #461.
Northern Ireland · Boys26 shared years, 1997–2022
Gerard held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Philip in 7.
Highest recorded here: Gerard #57 in 1997, Philip #51 in 1997.
The order changed in 2016: Gerard moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #201 and #187; by 2016 that had become #148 and #358.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Gerard #285, Philip #311.
New Zealand · Boys10 shared years, 1954–1965
Gerard held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Philip in 10.
Highest recorded here: Gerard #84 in 1956, Philip #23 in 1959.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1965: Gerard #96, Philip #26.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys9 shared years, 1956–1966
Gerard held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Philip in 9.
Highest recorded here: Gerard #84 in 1966, Philip #29 in 1958.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1966: Gerard #84, Philip #48.
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 | Gerard | Philip |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Combines Old German 'ger' (spear) with 'hart' (hard, firm, brave) — 'spear-brave'. Borne by saints from Belgium, Germany, Hungary and Italy; brought to Britain by the Normans. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Germanic | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈd͡ʒɛɹ.əd/ | 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #348 (2025) | Norway · Boys #91 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Gerard has a recorded origin (Germanic); Philip does not have one recorded yet.
- Gerard and Philip both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Gerard; Philip 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
Gerard
Popularity journey
First recorded1954
First recorded at #87 among boys in New Zealand in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #348 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Philip
Popularity journey
First recorded1948
First recorded at #341 among boys in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1992
Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New Zealand, in 1963 (recorded 1954–1992).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #91 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys