Namewise

Graham vs Philip

Graham 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 1972, Graham was ranked #74 and Philip #36 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1979, Graham was ranked #100 and Philip #76 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2010, Graham was ranked #387 and Philip #211 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2023, Graham was ranked #770 and Philip #303 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Graham was ranked #2952 and Philip #549 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Graham was ranked #727 and Philip #619 among boys in Scotland.

Graham and Philip over time

Graham and Philip appear together in 5 published lists, across 140 years of shared records. Philip held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Graham 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.

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 1972, Philip moved ahead of Graham in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #66 and #67 the year before became #65 and #64.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Graham and Philip changed places 7 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1952 and 1979, ending at #100 and #76.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 28 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Graham and Philip averaged 8.7 places apart, ending at #100 and #76.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Graham and Philip were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #2952 and #549.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Graham #341 in 1996, Philip #103 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys54 shared years, 19642023

    Graham held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Philip in 54.

    Highest recorded here: Graham #52 in 1984, Philip #30 in 1978.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Graham #770, Philip #303.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 19962025

    Graham held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Philip in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Graham #341 in 1996, Philip #103 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Graham #2952, Philip #549.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys28 shared years, 19521979

    Graham held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Philip in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Graham #20 in 1952, Philip #29 in 1958.

    The order changed in 1972: Philip moved ahead. In 1971 they stood at #66 and #67; by 1972 that had become #65 and #64.

    Most recent shared year, 1979: Graham #100, Philip #76.

  • New Zealand · Boys19 shared years, 19541972

    Graham held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Philip in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Graham #23 in 1954, Philip #20 in 1963.

    The order changed in 1958: Philip moved ahead. In 1957 they stood at #26 and #28; by 1958 that had become #30 and #28.

    Most recent shared year, 1972: Graham #74, Philip #36.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys9 shared years, 19972010

    Graham held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Philip in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Graham #137 in 1998, Philip #51 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2010: Graham #387, Philip #211.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Graham

Pairs where Graham shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Philip

Pairs where Philip shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia overview

Other pairs ranked together in the 1970s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1970 and 1979.

The 1970s across all registrars

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Graham, Philip
FieldGrahamPhilip
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Boys #2952 (2025)Norway · Boys #91 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Graham and Philip both have 2 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Graham

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #20 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–1979

    Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1979).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2952 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Philip

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1954–1992

    Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New Zealand, in 1963 (recorded 1954–1992).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #549 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys