Gregory vs Kevin
Gregory 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.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1988, Gregory was ranked #76 and Kevin #72 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1990, Gregory was ranked #95 and Kevin #78 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2012, Gregory was ranked #403 and Kevin #125 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Gregory was ranked #829 and Kevin #139 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Gregory was ranked #1460 and Kevin #264 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Gregory was ranked #727 and Kevin #432 among boys in Scotland.
Gregory and Kevin over time
Gregory and Kevin appear together in 4 published lists, across 163 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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 2001, Kevin moved ahead of Gregory in England and Wales · Boys — #172 and #179 the year before became #205 and #172.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Gregory and Kevin changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 1988, ending at #76 and #72.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 39 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Gregory and Kevin averaged 23.3 places apart, ending at #95 and #78.
- Longest-running competitions
Gregory and Kevin were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 39 years, from 1952 to 1990, ending at #95 and #78.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Gregory #117 in 1997, Kevin #141 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys60 shared years, 1964–2025
Gregory held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Kevin in 60.
Highest recorded here: Gregory #72 in 1967, Kevin #11 in 1987.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Gregory #829, Kevin #139.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys39 shared years, 1952–1990
Gregory held the stronger position in 38 of those years, Kevin in 1.
Highest recorded here: Gregory #7 in 1954, Kevin #15 in 1956.
The order changed in 1990: Kevin moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #81 and #83; by 1990 that had become #95 and #78.
Most recent shared year, 1990: Gregory #95, Kevin #78.
New Zealand · Boys35 shared years, 1954–1988
Gregory held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Kevin in 13.
Highest recorded here: Gregory #16 in 1960, Kevin #8 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1988: Gregory #76, Kevin #72.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Gregory held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Kevin in 24.
Highest recorded here: Gregory #117 in 1997, Kevin #141 in 1996.
The order changed in 2001: Kevin moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #172 and #179; by 2001 that had become #205 and #172.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Gregory #1460, Kevin #264.
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 | Gregory | Kevin |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From Latin Gregorius, from Late Greek Gregorios, from 'gregoros' ('watchful, alert'), itself from 'egeiro' ('to awaken'). Borne by Saint Gregory the Illuminator and Pope Gregory I the Great. | An 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. |
| Origin | From Late Greek 'gregoros' ('watchful, alert'), via the Latin Gregorius | Irish |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɡɹɛɡ.ə.ɹi/ | /ˈkɛv.ɪn/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 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 | Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #139 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Gregory is recorded with a From Late Greek 'gregoros' ('watchful, alert'), via the Latin Gregorius origin, while Kevin is recorded with a Irish origin.
- Gregory has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Kevin.
- Gregory's recorded meaning differs from Kevin's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Gregory
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #9 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 recorded1952–1990
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1954 (recorded 1952–1990).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Kevin
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1954–1999
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1999).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #186 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys