Grayson vs Samuel
Grayson and Samuelcompared 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 2025, Grayson was ranked #97 and Samuel #38 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Grayson was ranked #62 and Samuel #50 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Grayson was ranked #90 and Samuel #60 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Grayson was ranked #62 and Samuel #69 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Grayson was ranked #202 and Samuel #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Grayson was ranked #244 and Samuel #76 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Grayson and Samuel over time
Grayson and Samuel appear together in 4 published lists, across 52 years of shared records. Samuel held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Grayson in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Samuel reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Grayson 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys20 shared years, 2005–2024
Grayson held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Samuel in 20.
Highest recorded here: Grayson #66 in 2020, Samuel #7 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Grayson #90, Samuel #60.
Republic of Ireland · Boys12 shared years, 2014–2025
Grayson held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Samuel in 12.
Highest recorded here: Grayson #175 in 2021, Samuel #38 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Grayson #244, Samuel #76.
New Zealand · Boys10 shared years, 2014–2023
Grayson held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Samuel in 9.
Highest recorded here: Grayson #44 in 2022, Samuel #14 in 2014.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Grayson #62, Samuel #50.
Northern Ireland · Boys10 shared years, 2012–2024
Grayson held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Samuel in 10.
Highest recorded here: Grayson #106 in 2020, Samuel #44 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Grayson #202, Samuel #64.
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 | Grayson | Samuel |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Traditionally rendered as 'name of God', though also popularly interpreted as 'God has heard' — sources differ on which root is emphasised. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Samouel |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈsæmjuːəl/ |
| 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #97 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #38 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Samuel has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Samouel); Grayson does not have one recorded yet.
- Grayson and Samuel both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Samuel; Grayson 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
Grayson
Popularity journey
First recorded2005
First recorded at #3208 among boys in England and Wales in 2005 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded2014–2023
Highest recorded position: #44 among boys in New Zealand, in 2022 (recorded 2014–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #97 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Samuel
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #339 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1967–2023
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 1998 (recorded 1967–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #38 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys