Harry vs Hunter
Harry and Hunter compared 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.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Harry was ranked #13 and Hunter #93 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Harry was ranked #19 and Hunter #91 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Harry was ranked #25 and Hunter #159 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Harry was ranked #31 and Hunter #52 among boys in Scotland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Harry was ranked #40 and Hunter #36 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Harry was ranked #39 and Hunter #60 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Harry and Hunter over time
Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.
Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.
Harry and Hunter over time
Harry and Hunter appear together in 5 published lists, across 105 years of shared records. Harry held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Hunter in 1.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Harry reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Hunter 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Harry and Hunter changed places 6 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 2005 and 2025, ending at #39 and #60.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Harry and Hunter averaged 16.2 places apart, ending at #39 and #60.
- Longest-running competitions
Harry and Hunter were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #19 and #91.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Harry #15 in 2018, Hunter #16 in 2017.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Harry held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Hunter in 0.
Highest recorded here: Harry #1 in 2011, Hunter #44 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Harry #19, Hunter #91.
New Zealand · Boys25 shared years, 1999–2023
Harry held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Hunter in 20.
Highest recorded here: Harry #22 in 2018, Hunter #5 in 2017.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Harry #40, Hunter #36.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys21 shared years, 2005–2025
Harry held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Hunter in 9.
Highest recorded here: Harry #15 in 2018, Hunter #16 in 2017.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Harry #39, Hunter #60.
Northern Ireland · Boys15 shared years, 2008–2024
Harry held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Hunter in 0.
Highest recorded here: Harry #4 in 2012, Hunter #70 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Harry #13, Hunter #93.
Republic of Ireland · Boys14 shared years, 2012–2025
Harry held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Hunter in 0.
Highest recorded here: Harry #6 in 2018, Hunter #91 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Harry #25, Hunter #159.
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 Harry
Pairs where Harry shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Harry vs Colin
In 1997 they stood at #87 and #96 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 9 places apart; by 2021 they were #10 and #433.
Harry · Colin · 21 shared years, 1997–2021 · Started together, ended far apart
- Harry vs Johannes
In 1945 they stood at #70 and #75 in Norway · Boys, 5 places apart; by 2019 they were #431 and #13.
Harry · Johannes · 46 shared years, 1945–2019 · Started together, ended far apart
- Harry vs Barry
In 1997 they stood at #87 and #90 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 3 places apart; by 2022 they were #8 and #414.
Harry · Barry · 21 shared years, 1997–2022 · Started together, ended far apart
- Harry vs Kristian
In 1945 they stood at #70 and #79 in Norway · Boys, 9 places apart; by 2019 they were #431 and #75.
Harry · Kristian · 46 shared years, 1945–2019 · Started together, ended far apart
Other comparisons involving Hunter
Pairs where Hunter shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Noah vs Hunter
In 2017, Noah moved ahead of Hunter in New Zealand · Boys — #7 and #6 the year before became #3 and #5.
Noah · Hunter · 23 shared years, 2001–2023 · One moved ahead of the other
- Leo vs Hunter
In 2018, Leo moved ahead of Hunter in New Zealand · Boys — #11 and #5 the year before became #4 and #5.
Leo · Hunter · 21 shared years, 2003–2023 · One moved ahead of the other
- Jacob vs Hunter
In 2015, Hunter moved ahead of Jacob in New Zealand · Boys — #10 and #12 the year before became #10 and #7.
Jacob · Hunter · 25 shared years, 1999–2023 · One moved ahead of the other
- Lucas vs Hunter
Across 23 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Lucas and Hunter averaged 10.3 places apart, ending at #16 and #36.
Lucas · Hunter · 23 shared years, 2001–2023 · Closest over the longest run
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.
- Ivy vs Evie
Ivy and Evie averaged 4.8 places apart in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, and 408 places apart in England and Wales · Girls.
Ivy · Evie · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Close in one country, far apart in another
- Ella vs Harper
Ella and Harper averaged 6.0 places apart in New Zealand · Girls, and 944 places apart in England and Wales · Girls.
Ella · Harper · 24 shared years, 2001–2025 · Close in one country, far apart in another
- Mia vs Harper
Mia and Harper averaged 6.3 places apart in New Zealand · Girls, and 945 places apart in England and Wales · Girls.
Mia · Harper · 24 shared years, 2001–2025 · Close in one country, far apart in another
- Ivy vs Hazel
Ivy and Hazel averaged 6.4 places apart in New Zealand · Girls, and 354 places apart in England and Wales · Girls.
Ivy · Hazel · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · 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.
- Grace vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #41 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2025 they were #27 and #4867.
Grace · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Ella vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #56 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2025 they were #46 and #4867.
Ella · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Jasmine vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #55 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #102 and #4867.
Jasmine · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Anna vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #47 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2025 they were #142 and #4867.
Anna · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
Side by side
| Field | Harry | Hunter |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | A diminutive/pet form, inheriting its meaning from Henry — 'home ruler' — and functioning, in modern times, as a nickname for both Henry and names beginning with 'Har-'. During the Middle Ages in England, Henry was generally rendered as Harry or Herry in English pronunciation. | An English occupational surname, from Old English 'hunta'/'huntian' ('to hunt') — someone who hunted for a living. |
| Origin | English, medieval form/diminutive of Henry | English, an occupational surname describing someone who hunted |
| Pronunciation | /ˈhæri/ | /ˈhʌn.təɹ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | New South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New Zealand | New South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, New Zealand |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #19 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #60 (2025) |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Harry is recorded with a English, medieval form/diminutive of Henry origin, while Hunter is recorded with a English, an occupational surname describing someone who hunted origin.
- Harry and Hunter both have 2 syllables.
- Harry's recorded meaning differs from Hunter'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
Harry
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #70 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2011 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #19 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys
Hunter
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #2357 among boys in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded1999–2023
Highest recorded position: #5 among boys in New Zealand, in 2017 (recorded 1999–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #4867 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls