Namewise

Hamish vs Hayden

Hamish and Haydencompared 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.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Hamish was ranked #69 and Hayden #268 among boys in Scotland.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2009, Hamish was ranked #72 and Hayden #82 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2016, Hamish was ranked #99 and Hayden #96 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2023, Hamish was ranked #395 and Hayden #272 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2019, Hamish was ranked #402 and Hayden #295 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Hamish was ranked #484 and Hayden #314 among boys in England and Wales.

Hamish and Hayden over time

Hamish and Hayden appear together in 3 published lists, across 84 years of shared records. Hayden held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Hamish in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Hayden reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Hamish 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.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Hamish and Hayden changed places 6 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1974 and 2009, ending at #72 and #82.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 36 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Hamish and Hayden averaged 11.7 places apart, ending at #72 and #82.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Hamish and Hayden were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #484 and #314.

List by list

  • New Zealand · Boys36 shared years, 1974–2009

    Hamish held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Hayden in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Hamish #27 in 1999, Hayden #26 in 1994.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2009: Hamish #72, Hayden #82.

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

    Hamish held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Hayden in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Hamish #222 in 1998, Hayden #71 in 2008.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Hamish #484, Hayden #314.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys18 shared years, 1997–2016

    Hamish held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Hayden in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Hamish #60 in 2010, Hayden #31 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2016: Hamish #99, Hayden #96.

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 Hamish

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

Other comparisons involving Hayden

Pairs where Hayden 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 — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

Pairs measured inside New Zealand's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2000s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2000 and 2009.

The 2000s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Hamish, Hayden
FieldHamishHayden
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningShares the meaning of James: commonly interpreted as 'supplanter' (Hebrew, via James/Jacob).Not yet recorded
OriginScottish GaelicNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈheɪmɪʃ/Not yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesSeumas, JamesNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationScotland #25 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #223 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Hamish has a recorded origin (Scottish Gaelic); Hayden does not have one recorded yet.
  • Hamish and Hayden both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Hamish; Hayden doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Hamish a "high" Data Confidence level and Hayden a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Hamish

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #95 among boys in New Zealand in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New Zealand · Boys

  2. Highest recorded2014–2025

    Highest recorded position: #25 in Scotland, in 2025 (recorded 2014–2025).

    Scotland

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #484 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Hayden

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1974

    First recorded at #67 among boys in New Zealand in 1974 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New Zealand · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1974–2012

    Highest recorded position: #26 among boys in New Zealand, in 1994 (recorded 1974–2012).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #314 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys