Graham vs Pierce
Graham and Piercecompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2009, Graham was ranked #329 and Pierce #390 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Graham was ranked #770 and Pierce #660 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Graham was ranked #5119 and Pierce #4270 among boys in England and Wales.
Graham and Pierce over time
Graham and Pierce appear together in 3 published lists, across 90 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Pierce reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Graham 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2001, Pierce moved ahead of Graham in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #139 and #177 the year before became #176 and #176.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Graham and Pierce changed places 7 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #5119 and #4270.
- Longest-running competitions
Graham and Pierce were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 54 years, from 1964 to 2023, ending at #770 and #660.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Graham #341 in 1996, Pierce #365 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys54 shared years, 1964–2023
Graham held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Pierce in 15.
Highest recorded here: Graham #52 in 1984, Pierce #132 in 1969.
The order changed in 2001: Pierce moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #139 and #177; by 2001 that had become #176 and #176.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Graham #770, Pierce #660.
England and Wales · Boys28 shared years, 1996–2024
Graham held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Pierce in 14.
Highest recorded here: Graham #341 in 1996, Pierce #365 in 1996.
The order changed in 2024: Pierce moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #1533 and #2813; by 2024 that had become #5119 and #4270.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Graham #5119, Pierce #4270.
Northern Ireland · Boys8 shared years, 1997–2009
Graham held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Pierce in 6.
Highest recorded here: Graham #137 in 1998, Pierce #122 in 1998.
The order changed in 2009: Graham moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #264 and #192; by 2009 that had become #329 and #390.
Most recent shared year, 2009: Graham #329, Pierce #390.
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 | Graham | Pierce |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 | Scotland · Boys #727 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #676 (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
- Graham and Pierce both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Graham
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1952–1979
Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1979).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #5119 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys
Pierce
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #155 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2020
Highest recorded position: #122 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 1998 (recorded 1997–2020).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys