Harry vs Rafael
Harry and Rafaelcompared 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 2022, Harry was ranked #8 and Rafael #234 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Harry was ranked #20 and Rafael #215 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Harry was ranked #25 and Rafael #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Harry was ranked #31 and Rafael #619 among boys in Scotland.
Norway · Boys
In 2019, Harry was ranked #431 and Rafael #253 among boys in Norway.
Harry and Rafael over time
Harry and Rafael appear together in 3 published lists, across 70 years of shared records. Harry held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Rafael 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 3 of those lists, and Rafael 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
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Harry held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Rafael in 0.
Highest recorded here: Harry #1 in 2011, Rafael #181 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Harry #20, Rafael #215.
Republic of Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 2005–2025
Harry held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Rafael in 0.
Highest recorded here: Harry #6 in 2018, Rafael #306 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Harry #25, Rafael #329.
Norway · Boys20 shared years, 1963–2019
Harry held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Rafael in 8.
Highest recorded here: Harry #139 in 1963, Rafael #253 in 2019.
The order changed in 1991: Rafael moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #396 and #502; by 1991 that had become #575 and #462.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Harry #431, Rafael #253.
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 | Rafael |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #25 (2025) | Norway · Boys #328 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| 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 has a recorded origin (English, medieval form/diminutive of Henry); Rafael does not have one recorded yet.
- Harry and Rafael both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Harry; Rafael doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
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
Rafael
Popularity journey
First recorded1963
First recorded at #445 among boys in Norway in 1963 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #181 among boys in England and Wales, in 2022 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #328 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys