Namewise

Gregory vs William

Gregory and Williamcompared 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 William #20 among boys in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Gregory was ranked #1406 and William #25 among boys in England and Wales.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1990, Gregory was ranked #95 and William #27 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2012, Gregory was ranked #403 and William #42 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Gregory was ranked #727 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Gregory was ranked #829 and William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Gregory and William over time

Gregory and William appear together in 4 published lists, across 164 years of shared records. William held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Gregory in 1.

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.

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

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1982, William moved ahead of Gregory in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #37 and #44 the year before became #47 and #41.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Gregory and William changed places 6 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 1988, ending at #76 and #20.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 39 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Gregory and William averaged 19.3 places apart, ending at #95 and #27.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Gregory and William were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1406 and #25.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Gregory #7 in 1954, William #12 in 1952.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys60 shared years, 1964–2025

    Gregory held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 60.

    Highest recorded here: Gregory #72 in 1967, William #8 in 1964.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Gregory #829, William #73.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys39 shared years, 1952–1990

    Gregory held the stronger position in 30 of those years, William in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Gregory #7 in 1954, William #12 in 1952.

    The order changed in 1982: William moved ahead. In 1981 they stood at #37 and #44; by 1982 that had become #47 and #41.

    Most recent shared year, 1990: Gregory #95, William #27.

  • New Zealand · Boys35 shared years, 1954–1988

    Gregory held the stronger position in 13 of those years, William in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Gregory #16 in 1960, William #11 in 1954.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1988: Gregory #76, William #20.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Gregory held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Gregory #117 in 1997, William #7 in 2006.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Gregory #1406, William #25.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Gregory

Pairs where Gregory shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving William

Pairs where William shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — close in one country, far apart in another.

All close in one country, far apart in another→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Gregory, William
FieldGregoryWilliam
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
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.Commonly interpreted as 'resolute protector' or 'will helmet', combining the ideas of desire/will and protection.
OriginFrom Late Greek 'gregoros' ('watchful, alert'), via the Latin GregoriusGermanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm)
Pronunciation/ˈɡɹɛɡ.ə.ɹi//ˈwɪljəm/
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, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025)Norway · Boys #3 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Gregory is recorded with a From Late Greek 'gregoros' ('watchful, alert'), via the Latin Gregorius origin, while William is recorded with a Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) origin.
  • Gregory has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for William.
  • Gregory's recorded meaning differs from William'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

  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 #1406 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

William

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #277 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1952–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2009 (recorded 1952–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #25 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys