Glenn vs Karl
Glenn and Karlcompared 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 1974, Glenn was ranked #36 and Karl #100 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1983, Glenn was ranked #100 and Karl #48 among boys in New Zealand.
Norway · Boys
In 2012, Glenn was ranked #545 and Karl #150 among boys in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2013, Glenn was ranked #343 and Karl #398 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Glenn was ranked #829 and Karl #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Glenn was ranked #5119 and Karl #2088 among boys in England and Wales.
Glenn and Karl over time
Glenn and Karl appear together in 5 published lists, across 176 years of shared records. Karl held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Glenn in 1.
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.
Karl reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Glenn 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 1975, Karl moved ahead of Glenn in New Zealand · Boys — #28 and #43 the year before became #36 and #35.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Glenn and Karl changed places 5 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2013, ending at #343 and #398.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 21 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Glenn and Karl averaged 28.1 places apart, ending at #100 and #48.
- Mirrored each other
Over 21 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Karl rose about as far as Glenn fell — from #56 and #96 in 1962 to #100 and #48 in 1983.
- Longest-running competitions
Glenn and Karl were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 61 years, from 1948 to 2012, ending at #545 and #150.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Glenn #278 in 1996, Karl #110 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys61 shared years, 1948–2012
Glenn held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Karl in 42.
Highest recorded here: Glenn #57 in 1974, Karl #39 in 1948.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Glenn #545, Karl #150.
Republic of Ireland · Boys54 shared years, 1964–2025
Glenn held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Karl in 50.
Highest recorded here: Glenn #92 in 1992, Karl #47 in 1989.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Glenn #829, Karl #829.
England and Wales · Boys27 shared years, 1996–2024
Glenn held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Karl in 27.
Highest recorded here: Glenn #278 in 1996, Karl #110 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Glenn #5119, Karl #2088.
New Zealand · Boys21 shared years, 1962–1983
Glenn held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Karl in 8.
Highest recorded here: Glenn #28 in 1971, Karl #33 in 1973.
The order changed in 1975: Karl moved ahead. In 1974 they stood at #28 and #43; by 1975 that had become #36 and #35.
Most recent shared year, 1983: Glenn #100, Karl #48.
Northern Ireland · Boys13 shared years, 1997–2013
Glenn held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Karl in 10.
Highest recorded here: Glenn #104 in 1997, Karl #93 in 1997.
The order changed in 2013: Glenn moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #403 and #247; by 2013 that had become #343 and #398.
Most recent shared year, 2013: Glenn #343, Karl #398.
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 | Glenn | Karl |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025) | Norway · Boys #179 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Glenn and Karl both have 1 syllable.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Glenn
Popularity journey
First recorded1948
First recorded at #329 among boys in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1986
Highest recorded position: #16 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1962 (recorded 1952–1986).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Karl
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #35 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1962–1994
Highest recorded position: #33 among boys in New Zealand, in 1973 (recorded 1962–1994).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #179 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys