Harry vs Oisín
Harry and Oisíncompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Harry was ranked #25 and Oisín #5 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Harry and Oisín over time
Harry and Oisín appear together in 1 published list, across 8 years of shared records. Oisín held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Harry 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.
Harry reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Oisín 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.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys8 shared years, 2018–2025
Harry held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Oisín in 5.
Highest recorded here: Harry #6 in 2018, Oisín #5 in 2023.
The order changed in 2021: Oisín moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #9 and #16; by 2021 that had become #20 and #12.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Harry #25, Oisín #5.
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
Side by side
| Field | Harry | Oisín |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| 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. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | English, medieval form/diminutive of Henry | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈhæri/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #19 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #5 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 40/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Harry has a recorded origin (English, medieval form/diminutive of Henry); Oisín does not have one recorded yet.
- Harry has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Oisín.
- A meaning is recorded for Harry; Oisín doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in IE.
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
Oisín
Popularity journey
First recorded2018
First recorded at #15 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 2018 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded2018–2025
Highest recorded position: #5 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2023 (recorded 2018–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #5 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys