Harry vs Nathan
Harry and Nathancompared 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 Nathan #118 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2018, Harry was ranked #15 and Nathan #84 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Harry was ranked #20 and Nathan #88 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Harry was ranked #25 and Nathan #71 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Harry was ranked #31 and Nathan #62 among boys in Scotland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Harry was ranked #40 and Nathan #70 among boys in New Zealand.
Norway · Boys
In 2019, Harry was ranked #431 and Nathan #264 among boys in Norway.
Harry and Nathan over time
Harry and Nathan appear together in 5 published lists, across 164 years of shared records. Nathan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Harry in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Nathan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Harry 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.
- One took the other's place near the top
In New Zealand · Boys, Harry moved into the top 50 at #35 in 2017 as Nathan fell out of it to #61, having been #43 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2006, Harry moved ahead of Nathan in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #46 and #36 the year before became #32 and #41.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Harry and Nathan changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1994 and 2023, ending at #40 and #70.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Harry and Nathan averaged 49.6 places apart, ending at #20 and #88.
- Longest-running competitions
Harry and Nathan were both ranked in New Zealand · Boys for 30 years, from 1994 to 2023, ending at #40 and #70.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys52 shared years, 1968–2025
Harry held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Nathan in 29.
Highest recorded here: Harry #6 in 2018, Nathan #26 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Harry #25, Nathan #71.
New Zealand · Boys30 shared years, 1994–2023
Harry held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Nathan in 19.
Highest recorded here: Harry #22 in 2018, Nathan #14 in 1995.
The order changed in 2017: Harry moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #45 and #43; by 2017 that had become #35 and #61.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Harry #40, Nathan #70.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Harry held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Nathan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Harry #1 in 2011, Nathan #24 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Harry #20, Nathan #88.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Harry held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Nathan in 9.
Highest recorded here: Harry #4 in 2012, Nathan #15 in 2000.
The order changed in 2006: Harry moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #32 and #20; by 2006 that had become #22 and #26.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Harry #13, Nathan #118.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys25 shared years, 1992–2018
Harry held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Nathan in 13.
Highest recorded here: Harry #15 in 2018, Nathan #13 in 1992.
The order changed in 2006: Harry moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #46 and #36; by 2006 that had become #32 and #41.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Harry #15, Nathan #84.
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 | Harry | Nathan |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Commonly interpreted as 'he gave' or 'he has given'. |
| Origin | English, medieval form/diminutive of Henry | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈhæri/ | /ˈneɪθən/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #25 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #71 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Harry is recorded with a English, medieval form/diminutive of Henry origin, while Nathan is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Harry and Nathan both have 2 syllables.
- Harry's recorded meaning differs from Nathan's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, 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 recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2011 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #39 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Nathan
Popularity journey
First recorded1968
First recorded at #267 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1968 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1969–2018
Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1981 (recorded 1969–2018).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #344 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys