Harold vs Ronald

Harold and Ronaldcompared 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 1953, Harold was ranked #99 and Ronald #26 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2012, Harold was ranked #718 and Ronald #718 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Harold was ranked #1025 and Ronald #796 among boys in England and Wales.

Harold and Ronald over time

Harold and Ronald appear together in 2 published lists, across 50 years of shared records. Ronald held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Harold 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.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 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.

Repeatedly exchanged positions
Harold and Ronald changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2012, ending at #718 and #718.
Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Harold #135 in 1965, Ronald #89 in 1964.

List by list

England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Harold held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Ronald in 22.
Highest recorded here: Harold #394 in 1996, Ronald #564 in 2018.
The order changed in 2007: Ronald moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #885 and #960; by 2007 that had become #1169 and #698.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Harold #1025, Ronald #796.
Republic of Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 1964–2012
Harold held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Ronald in 17.
Highest recorded here: Harold #135 in 1965, Ronald #89 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Harold #718, Ronald #718.

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 Ronald

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

Eoin vs Ronald
In 1964 they stood at #83 and #89 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 6 places apart; by 2012 they were #36 and #718.
Eoin · Ronald · 34 shared years, 1964–2012 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2012 Republic of Ireland ranking
Colin vs Ronald
In 1964 they stood at #89 and #89 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 0 places apart; by 2012 they were #169 and #718.
Colin · Ronald · 34 shared years, 1964–2012 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2012 Republic of Ireland ranking
Simon vs Ronald
In 1964 they stood at #91 and #89 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 2 places apart; by 2012 they were #180 and #718.
Simon · Ronald · 34 shared years, 1964–2012 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2012 Republic of Ireland ranking
Gary vs Ronald
In 1964 they stood at #84 and #89 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 5 places apart; by 2012 they were #310 and #718.
Gary · Ronald · 34 shared years, 1964–2012 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2012 Republic of Ireland ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Harold, Ronald
Field	Harold	Ronald
Record type	Official statistical record (evidence-only)	Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usage	male	male
Meaning	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Origin	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Pronunciation
Syllables	2	2
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	England and Wales · Boys #1025 (2024)	Scotland · Boys #619 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	88/100	88/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Harold and Ronald both have 2 syllables.
Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE.

How each name got here

Harold

Popularity journey

First recorded1952
First recorded at #88 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 recorded1952–1953
Highest recorded position: #88 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1953).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1025 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys

Ronald

Popularity journey

First recorded1945
First recorded at #202 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1972
Highest recorded position: #24 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1972).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #796 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys