Harry vs Samuel
Harry and Samuelcompared 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 Samuel #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Harry was ranked #20 and Samuel #60 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Harry was ranked #25 and Samuel #76 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Harry was ranked #31 and Samuel #69 among boys in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Harry was ranked #39 and Samuel #38 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Harry was ranked #40 and Samuel #50 among boys in New Zealand.
Norway · Boys
In 2019, Harry was ranked #431 and Samuel #44 among boys in Norway.
Harry and Samuel over time
Harry and Samuel appear together in 6 published lists, across 215 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in 5 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Samuel reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 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 2006, Harry moved ahead of Samuel in England and Wales · Boys — #9 and #7 the year before became #5 and #8.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Harry and Samuel changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1992 and 2025, ending at #39 and #38.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Harry and Samuel averaged 17.2 places apart, ending at #20 and #60.
- Mirrored each other
Over 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Harry rose about as far as Samuel fell — from #87 and #39 in 1997 to #13 and #64 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
Harry and Samuel were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 33 years, from 1992 to 2025, ending at #39 and #38.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys57 shared years, 1965–2025
Harry held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Samuel in 38.
Highest recorded here: Harry #6 in 2018, Samuel #33 in 2013.
The order changed in 2007: Harry moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #41 and #34; by 2007 that had become #31 and #35.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Harry #25, Samuel #76.
Norway · Boys38 shared years, 1946–2019
Harry held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Samuel in 17.
Highest recorded here: Harry #69 in 1946, Samuel #44 in 2019.
The order changed in 1976: Samuel moved ahead. In 1975 they stood at #460 and #505; by 1976 that had become #484 and #260.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Harry #431, Samuel #44.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys33 shared years, 1992–2025
Harry held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Samuel in 27.
Highest recorded here: Harry #15 in 2018, Samuel #10 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Harry #39, Samuel #38.
New Zealand · Boys30 shared years, 1994–2023
Harry held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Samuel in 26.
Highest recorded here: Harry #22 in 2018, Samuel #3 in 1998.
The order changed in 2022: Harry moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #58 and #50; by 2022 that had become #40 and #48.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Harry #40, Samuel #50.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Harry held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Samuel in 8.
Highest recorded here: Harry #1 in 2011, Samuel #6 in 2004.
The order changed in 2006: Harry moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #9 and #7; by 2006 that had become #5 and #8.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Harry #20, Samuel #60.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Harry held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Samuel in 9.
Highest recorded here: Harry #4 in 2012, Samuel #25 in 2005.
The order changed in 2006: Harry moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #32 and #25; by 2006 that had become #22 and #36.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Harry #13, Samuel #64.
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 | Samuel |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Traditionally rendered as 'name of God', though also popularly interpreted as 'God has heard' — sources differ on which root is emphasised. |
| Origin | English, medieval form/diminutive of Henry | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Samouel |
| Pronunciation | /ˈhæri/ | /ˈsæmjuːəl/ |
| 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) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #38 (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 Samuel is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Samouel origin.
- Harry and Samuel both have 2 syllables.
- Harry's recorded meaning differs from Samuel'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
Samuel
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #339 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1967–2023
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 1998 (recorded 1967–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #38 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys