Hamish vs Niall
Hamish and Niallcompared 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 #70 and Niall #246 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2019, Hamish was ranked #402 and Niall #174 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Hamish was ranked #395 and Niall #189 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Hamish was ranked #422 and Niall #613 among boys in England and Wales.
Hamish and Niall over time
Hamish and Niall appear together in 2 published lists, across 49 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Niall reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Hamish in none. 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.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Hamish #222 in 1998, Niall #106 in 1996.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Hamish held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Niall in 24.
Highest recorded here: Hamish #222 in 1998, Niall #106 in 1996.
The order changed in 2021: Hamish moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #436 and #431; by 2021 that had become #401 and #514.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Hamish #422, Niall #613.
Scotland · Boys20 shared years, 2024–2024
Hamish held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Niall in 0.
Highest recorded here: Hamish #69 in 2024, Niall #246 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Hamish #70, Niall #246.
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 | Hamish | Niall |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Shares the meaning of James: commonly interpreted as 'supplanter' (Hebrew, via James/Jacob). | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Scottish Gaelic | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈheɪmɪʃ/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Seumas, James | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Scotland #25 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #244 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Hamish has a recorded origin (Scottish Gaelic); Niall does not have one recorded yet.
- Hamish has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Niall.
- A meaning is recorded for Hamish; Niall doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
- The available evidence gives Hamish a "high" Data Confidence level and Niall 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
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
Highest recorded2014–2025
Highest recorded position: #25 in Scotland, in 2025 (recorded 2014–2025).
Scotland
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #25 in Scotland, in 2025.
Scotland
Niall
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #47 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1991 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #244 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys