Namewise

Harry vs Timothy

Harry and Timothycompared 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 Timothy #339 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Harry was ranked #19 and Timothy #418 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Harry was ranked #25 and Timothy #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Harry was ranked #31 and Timothy #535 among boys in Scotland.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2005, Harry was ranked #43 and Timothy #100 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2005, Harry was ranked #46 and Timothy #78 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2019, Harry was ranked #431 and Timothy #518 among boys in Norway.

Harry and Timothy over time

Harry and Timothy appear together in 6 published lists, across 164 years of shared records. Harry held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Timothy in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Timothy 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.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys57 shared years, 1965–2025

    Harry held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Timothy in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Harry #6 in 2018, Timothy #29 in 1965.

    The order changed in 1998: Harry moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #105 and #88; by 1998 that had become #100 and #101.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Harry #25, Timothy #329.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Harry held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Timothy in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Harry #1 in 2011, Timothy #82 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Harry #19, Timothy #418.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Harry held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Timothy in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Harry #4 in 2012, Timothy #75 in 2000.

    The order changed in 1998: Harry moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #87 and #83; by 1998 that had become #68 and #109.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Harry #13, Timothy #339.

  • Norway · Boys24 shared years, 1957–2019

    Harry held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Timothy in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Harry #101 in 1959, Timothy #413 in 1988.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Harry #431, Timothy #518.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys13 shared years, 1992–2005

    Harry held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Timothy in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Harry #38 in 2004, Timothy #19 in 1992.

    The order changed in 2000: Harry moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #58 and #44; by 2000 that had become #53 and #54.

    Most recent shared year, 2005: Harry #46, Timothy #78.

  • New Zealand · Boys12 shared years, 1994–2005

    Harry held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Timothy in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Harry #37 in 2004, Timothy #29 in 1994.

    The order changed in 2000: Harry moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #66 and #51; by 2000 that had become #58 and #69.

    Most recent shared year, 2005: Harry #43, Timothy #100.

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.

Other comparisons involving Timothy

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

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Northern Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Northern Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Harry, Timothy
FieldHarryTimothy
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningA 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.From Greek Timotheos, literally 'honouring God', combining 'timao' (to honour) with 'theos' (god). Saint Timothy accompanied the Apostle Paul on missionary journeys.
OriginEnglish, medieval form/diminutive of HenryGreek
Pronunciation/ˈhæri//ˈtɪm.ə.θi/
Syllables23
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Boys #19 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #329 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Harry is recorded with a English, medieval form/diminutive of Henry origin, while Timothy is recorded with a Greek origin.
  • Harry has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Timothy.
  • Harry's recorded meaning differs from Timothy'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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2011 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #19 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Timothy

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #61 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

  2. Highest recorded1954–2005

    Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New Zealand, in 1981 (recorded 1954–2005).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #418 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys