Henry vs Stephen
Henry and Stephencompared 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Henry was ranked #14 and Stephen #651 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Henry was ranked #45 and Stephen #305 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1997, Henry was ranked #58 and Stephen #95 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1997, Henry was ranked #76 and Stephen #100 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Henry was ranked #76 and Stephen #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Henry was ranked #95 and Stephen #535 among boys in Scotland.
Norway · Boys
In 2001, Henry was ranked #412 and Stephen #522 among boys in Norway.
Henry and Stephen over time
Henry and Stephen appear together in 5 published lists, across 184 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Stephen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Henry in 2. 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 1995, Henry moved ahead of Stephen in New Zealand · Boys — #78 and #69 the year before became #72 and #80.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Henry and Stephen changed places 6 times in Norway · Boys between 1946 and 2001, ending at #412 and #522.
- Longest-running competitions
Henry and Stephen were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 50 years, from 1946 to 2001, ending at #412 and #522.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #58 and #60 in England and Wales · Boys, 2 places apart; by 2024 they were #14 and #651.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Henry held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Stephen in 50.
Highest recorded here: Henry #60 in 1964, Stephen #4 in 1983.
The order changed in 2014: Henry moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #102 and #86; by 2014 that had become #91 and #120.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Henry #76, Stephen #232.
Norway · Boys50 shared years, 1946–2001
Henry held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Stephen in 20.
Highest recorded here: Henry #101 in 1950, Stephen #210 in 1956.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2001: Henry #412, Stephen #522.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Henry held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Stephen in 0.
Highest recorded here: Henry #10 in 2021, Stephen #60 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Henry #14, Stephen #651.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Henry held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Stephen in 14.
Highest recorded here: Henry #22 in 2023, Stephen #21 in 1998.
The order changed in 2011: Henry moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #127 and #107; by 2011 that had become #101 and #143.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Henry #45, Stephen #305.
New Zealand · Boys15 shared years, 1954–1997
Henry held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Stephen in 12.
Highest recorded here: Henry #55 in 1996, Stephen #6 in 1961.
The order changed in 1995: Henry moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #78 and #69; by 1995 that had become #72 and #80.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Henry #58, Stephen #95.
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 | Henry | Stephen |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Home ruler, estate ruler. | From Greek Stephanos, meaning 'crown, wreath' — literally 'that which surrounds'. Saint Stephen, a deacon stoned to death in the New Testament, is regarded as the first Christian martyr. |
| Origin | Germanic, via Old French Henri | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈhɛnɹi/ | /ˈstiː.vən/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Harry, Hal, Heinrich, Henri | Steven, Stefan, Stephan |
| 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 | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #6 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | high |
What the data shows
- Henry is recorded with a Germanic, via Old French Henri origin, while Stephen is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Henry and Stephen both have 2 syllables.
- Henry's recorded meaning differs from Stephen'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
Henry
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #102 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1993–2025
Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2023 (recorded 1993–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #6 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Stephen
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #352 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1997
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1955 (recorded 1952–1997).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys