Gordon vs Kilian
Gordon and Kiliancompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2018, Gordon was ranked #749 and Kilian #572 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Gordon was ranked #5137 and Kilian #1226 among boys in England and Wales.
Gordon and Kilian over time
Gordon and Kilian appear together in 2 published lists, across 63 years of shared records. Gordon held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Kilian in 0.
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.
Gordon reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Kilian 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
Gordon and Kilian changed places 9 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1965 and 2018, ending at #749 and #572.
- Longest-running competitions
Gordon and Kilian were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 38 years, from 1965 to 2018, ending at #749 and #572.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys38 shared years, 1965–2018
Gordon held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Kilian in 5.
Highest recorded here: Gordon #94 in 1973, Kilian #184 in 1989.
The order changed in 2018: Kilian moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #615 and #699; by 2018 that had become #749 and #572.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Gordon #749, Kilian #572.
England and Wales · Boys25 shared years, 1996–2025
Gordon held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Kilian in 8.
Highest recorded here: Gordon #813 in 1998, Kilian #1218 in 2021.
The order changed in 2023: Kilian moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #1534 and #1781; by 2023 that had become #3523 and #1309.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Gordon #5137, Kilian #1226.
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 | Gordon | Kilian |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #5137 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 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
- Gordon and Kilian both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Gordon
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #58 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1967
Highest recorded position: #51 among boys in New Zealand, in 1956 (recorded 1954–1967).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #5137 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys
Kilian
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #207 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1965–2025
Highest recorded position: #184 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1989 (recorded 1965–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #1226 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys