Namewise

Grant vs Kevin

Grant and Kevincompared 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 2009, Grant was ranked #701 and Kevin #51 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1990, Grant was ranked #75 and Kevin #78 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1987, Grant was ranked #99 and Kevin #75 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2006, Grant was ranked #341 and Kevin #100 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Grant was ranked #4270 and Kevin #264 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Grant was ranked #535 and Kevin #432 among boys in Scotland.

Grant and Kevin over time

Grant and Kevin appear together in 4 published lists, across 109 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Kevin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Grant 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 1997, Kevin moved ahead of Grant in England and Wales · Boys — #128 and #141 the year before became #166 and #144.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Grant and Kevin changed places 5 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1953 and 1990, ending at #75 and #78.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 38 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Grant and Kevin averaged 25.1 places apart, ending at #75 and #78.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Grant and Kevin were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 38 years, from 1953 to 1990, ending at #75 and #78.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Grant #128 in 1996, Kevin #141 in 1996.

List by list

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys38 shared years, 19531990

    Grant held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Kevin in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Grant #32 in 1966, Kevin #15 in 1956.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1990: Grant #75, Kevin #78.

  • New Zealand · Boys34 shared years, 19541987

    Grant held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Kevin in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Grant #13 in 1964, Kevin #8 in 1954.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1987: Grant #99, Kevin #75.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Grant held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Kevin in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Grant #128 in 1996, Kevin #141 in 1996.

    The order changed in 1997: Kevin moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #128 and #141; by 1997 that had become #166 and #144.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Grant #4270, Kevin #264.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys8 shared years, 19912009

    Grant held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Kevin in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Grant #234 in 1996, Kevin #12 in 1991.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2009: Grant #701, Kevin #51.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Grant, Kevin
FieldGrantKevin
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedAn Anglicized form of the Irish Caoimhín, combining Old Irish 'cóem' (dear, beloved, gentle) with 'gein' (birth) — 'beloved birth'. Associated with Saint Caoimhín, who founded a monastery at Glendalough in the 6th century.
OriginNot yet recordedIrish
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈkɛv.ɪn/
Syllables12
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 observationScotland · Boys #535 (2024)Republic of Ireland · Boys #139 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Kevin has a recorded origin (Irish); Grant does not have one recorded yet.
  • Grant has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Kevin.
  • A meaning is recorded for Kevin; Grant 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

Grant

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1953

    First recorded at #93 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1954–1987

    Highest recorded position: #13 among boys in New Zealand, in 1964 (recorded 1954–1987).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #4270 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Boys

Kevin

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #26 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 recorded1954–1999

    Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1999).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #186 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys