Harry vs Phillip

Harry and Phillipcompared 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 2012, Harry was ranked #4 and Phillip #403 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Harry was ranked #20 and Phillip #1460 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Harry was ranked #20 and Phillip #785 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1995, Harry was ranked #85 and Phillip #100 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1994, Harry was ranked #87 and Phillip #90 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Boys
In 2019, Harry was ranked #431 and Phillip #193 among boys in Norway.

Harry and Phillip over time

Harry and Phillip appear together in 4 published lists, across 86 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Phillip reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Harry in 1. 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 moved ahead of the other
In 1992, Harry moved ahead of Phillip in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #186 and #179 the year before became #158 and #267.
Longest-running competitions
Harry and Phillip were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 38 years, from 1965 to 2024, ending at #20 and #785.

List by list

Republic of Ireland · Boys38 shared years, 1965–2024
Harry held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Phillip in 21.
Highest recorded here: Harry #6 in 2018, Phillip #122 in 1966.
The order changed in 1992: Harry moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #186 and #179; by 1992 that had become #158 and #267.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Harry #20, Phillip #785.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Harry held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Phillip in 0.
Highest recorded here: Harry #1 in 2011, Phillip #180 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Harry #20, Phillip #1460.
Norway · Boys10 shared years, 1972–2019
Harry held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Phillip in 7.
Highest recorded here: Harry #396 in 1990, Phillip #160 in 2017.
The order changed in 1991: Phillip moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #396 and #439; by 1991 that had become #575 and #339.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Harry #431, Phillip #193.
Northern Ireland · Boys9 shared years, 1997–2012
Harry held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Phillip in 0.
Highest recorded here: Harry #4 in 2012, Phillip #189 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Harry #4, Phillip #403.

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
See the 2021 Northern Ireland ranking
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
See the 2019 Norway ranking
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
See the 2022 Northern Ireland ranking
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
See the 2019 Norway ranking

Other comparisons involving Phillip

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

Adrian vs Phillip
Adrian and Phillip changed places 13 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1952 and 1994, ending at #62 and #90.
Adrian · Phillip · 42 shared years, 1952–1994 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 1994 New South Wales, Australia ranking
John vs Phillip
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — John #1 in 1952, Phillip #14 in 1952.
John · Phillip · 43 shared years, 1952–1994 · Peaked in the same years
See the 1952 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Richard vs Phillip
Across 43 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Richard and Phillip averaged 8.8 places apart, ending at #81 and #90.
Richard · Phillip · 43 shared years, 1952–1994 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1994 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Ian vs Phillip
Across 38 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Ian and Phillip averaged 8.9 places apart, ending at #78 and #63.
Ian · Phillip · 38 shared years, 1952–1989 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1989 New South Wales, Australia ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Harry, Phillip
Field	Harry	Phillip
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	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, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Boys #25 (2025)	Norway · Boys #268 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	90/100	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	94/100	82/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Harry has a recorded origin (English, medieval form/diminutive of Henry); Phillip does not have one recorded yet.
Harry and Phillip both have 2 syllables.
A meaning is recorded for Harry; Phillip doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, 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

Phillip

Popularity journey

First recorded1952
First recorded at #14 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 recorded1952–1994
Highest recorded position: #14 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1994).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #268 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys