Namewise

Harrison vs Oliver

Harrison and Olivercompared 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 2025, Harrison was ranked #29 and Oliver #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2023, Harrison was ranked #60 and Oliver #2 among boys in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Harrison was ranked #52 and Oliver #3 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Harrison was ranked #40 and Oliver #7 among boys in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Harrison was ranked #89 and Oliver #10 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Harrison was ranked #118 and Oliver #18 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Harrison and Oliver over time

Harrison and Oliver appear together in 5 published lists, across 146 years of shared records. Oliver held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Harrison in 0.

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

Oliver reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Harrison in 2. 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.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Harrison and Oliver averaged 39.4 places apart, ending at #52 and #3.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Harrison and Oliver were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 34 years, from 1992 to 2025, ending at #29 and #2.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Harrison #30 in 2007, Oliver #1 in 2009.

List by list

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys34 shared years, 19922025

    Harrison held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Oliver in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Harrison #13 in 2017, Oliver #1 in 2014.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Harrison #29, Oliver #2.

  • New Zealand · Boys30 shared years, 19942023

    Harrison held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Oliver in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Harrison #28 in 2018, Oliver #1 in 2013.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Harrison #60, Oliver #2.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Harrison held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Oliver in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Harrison #30 in 2007, Oliver #1 in 2009.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Harrison #52, Oliver #3.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 19992025

    Harrison held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Oliver in 27.

    Highest recorded here: Harrison #116 in 2020, Oliver #18 in 2025.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Harrison #118, Oliver #18.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys26 shared years, 19992024

    Harrison held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Oliver in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Harrison #74 in 2019, Oliver #3 in 2016.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Harrison #89, Oliver #10.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Harrison, Oliver
FieldHarrisonOliver
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedCommonly interpreted as 'olive tree', though the true root is debated.
OriginNot yet recordedOld French
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈɒlɪvər/
Syllables33
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedOllie, Olivier, Oliviero
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 observationNew South Wales, Australia · Boys #29 (2025)United Kingdom #1 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)76/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Oliver has a recorded origin (Old French); Harrison does not have one recorded yet.
  • Harrison and Oliver both have 3 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Oliver; Harrison doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Harrison

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1992

    First recorded at #96 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1992 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1992–2025

    Highest recorded position: #13 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2017 (recorded 1992–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #29 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

Oliver

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1959

    First recorded at #478 among boys in Norway in 1959 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2009 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys