Gregory vs Stephen
Gregory and Stephencompared 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 Stephen #41 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1990, Gregory was ranked #95 and Stephen #43 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2012, Gregory was ranked #403 and Stephen #120 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Gregory was ranked #829 and Stephen #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Gregory was ranked #727 and Stephen #535 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Gregory was ranked #1460 and Stephen #651 among boys in England and Wales.
Gregory and Stephen over time
Gregory and Stephen appear together in 4 published lists, across 163 years of shared records. Stephen held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Gregory in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
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.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 39 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Gregory and Stephen averaged 10.9 places apart, ending at #95 and #43.
- Longest-running competitions
Gregory and Stephen were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 39 years, from 1952 to 1990, ending at #95 and #43.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Gregory #117 in 1997, Stephen #60 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys60 shared years, 1964–2025
Gregory held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Stephen in 60.
Highest recorded here: Gregory #72 in 1967, Stephen #4 in 1983.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Gregory #829, Stephen #232.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys39 shared years, 1952–1990
Gregory held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Stephen in 39.
Highest recorded here: Gregory #7 in 1954, Stephen #3 in 1955.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1990: Gregory #95, Stephen #43.
New Zealand · Boys35 shared years, 1954–1988
Gregory held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Stephen in 35.
Highest recorded here: Gregory #16 in 1960, Stephen #5 in 1958.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1988: Gregory #76, Stephen #41.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Gregory held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Stephen in 29.
Highest recorded here: Gregory #117 in 1997, Stephen #60 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Gregory #1460, Stephen #651.
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 | Stephen |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | From Greek Stephanos, meaning 'crown, wreath' — literally 'that which surrounds'. Saint Stephen, a deacon stoned to death in the New Testament, is regarded as the first Christian martyr. |
| Origin | From Late Greek 'gregoros' ('watchful, alert'), via the Latin Gregorius | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɡɹɛɡ.ə.ɹi/ | /ˈstiː.vən/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Steven, Stefan, Stephan |
| 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 #232 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Gregory is recorded with a From Late Greek 'gregoros' ('watchful, alert'), via the Latin Gregorius origin, while Stephen is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Gregory has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Stephen.
- Gregory's recorded meaning differs from Stephen's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Gregory a "medium" Data Confidence level and Stephen a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
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
Stephen
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #352 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1997
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1955 (recorded 1952–1997).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys