Namewise

Gregory vs Ricky

Gregory and Rickycompared 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 1986, Gregory was ranked #60 and Ricky #89 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1988, Gregory was ranked #76 and Ricky #86 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2023, Gregory was ranked #770 and Ricky #660 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Gregory was ranked #1460 and Ricky #1951 among boys in England and Wales.

Gregory and Ricky over time

Gregory and Ricky appear together in 4 published lists, across 83 years of shared records. Gregory held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Ricky in 0.

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.

Gregory reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Ricky in 1. 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.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Gregory and Ricky were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 32 years, from 1976 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 — Gregory #117 in 1997, Ricky #146 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys32 shared years, 19762023

    Gregory held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Ricky in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Gregory #93 in 1976, Ricky #184 in 1989.

    The order changed in 2017: Ricky moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #508 and #715; by 2017 that had become #710 and #443.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Gregory #770, Ricky #660.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Gregory held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Ricky in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Gregory #117 in 1997, Ricky #146 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Gregory #1460, Ricky #1951.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys13 shared years, 19591986

    Gregory held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Ricky in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Gregory #7 in 1959, Ricky #68 in 1961.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1986: Gregory #60, Ricky #89.

  • New Zealand · Boys9 shared years, 19621988

    Gregory held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Ricky in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Gregory #16 in 1963, Ricky #69 in 1985.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1988: Gregory #76, Ricky #86.

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 Gregory, Ricky
FieldGregoryRicky
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningFrom 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.Not yet recorded
OriginFrom Late Greek 'gregoros' ('watchful, alert'), via the Latin GregoriusNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈɡɹɛɡ.ə.ɹi/
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025)England and Wales · Boys #1951 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Gregory has a recorded origin (From Late Greek 'gregoros' ('watchful, alert'), via the Latin Gregorius); Ricky does not have one recorded yet.
  • Gregory has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Ricky.
  • A meaning is recorded for Gregory; Ricky doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Gregory

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–1990

    Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1954 (recorded 1952–1990).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

Ricky

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1959

    First recorded at #92 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1959 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1959–1986

    Highest recorded position: #68 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1961 (recorded 1959–1986).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #1951 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Boys