Howard vs Laurence
Howard and Laurencecompared 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.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1954, Howard was ranked #90 and Laurence #94 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2009, Howard was ranked #701 and Laurence #366 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Howard was ranked #1951 and Laurence #389 among boys in England and Wales.
Howard and Laurence over time
Howard and Laurence appear together in 2 published lists, across 55 years of shared records. Laurence held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Howard in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Howard reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Laurence 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.
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.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Howard #427 in 1996, Laurence #161 in 1997.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Howard held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Laurence in 29.
Highest recorded here: Howard #427 in 1996, Laurence #161 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Howard #1951, Laurence #389.
Republic of Ireland · Boys26 shared years, 1964–2009
Howard held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Laurence in 26.
Highest recorded here: Howard #199 in 1966, Laurence #47 in 1968.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2009: Howard #701, Laurence #366.
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 | Howard | Laurence |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #1951 (2024) | England and Wales · Boys #389 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Howard has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Laurence.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE.
How each name got here
Howard
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1951 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys
Laurence
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #86 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 recorded1964–2024
Highest recorded position: #47 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1968 (recorded 1964–2024).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #389 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys