Hudson vs Rua
Hudson and Ruacompared 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, Hudson was ranked #42 and Rua #5119 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Hudson was ranked #76 and Rua #232 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Hudson was ranked #188 and Rua #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2021, Hudson was ranked #5581 and Rua #4634 among girls in England and Wales.
Hudson and Rua over time
Hudson and Rua appear together in 1 published list, across 12 years of shared records. Hudson held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Rua 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.
Rua reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Hudson 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 Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Hudson #143 in 2023, Rua #257 in 2021.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys12 shared years, 2013–2025
Hudson held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Rua in 2.
Highest recorded here: Hudson #143 in 2023, Rua #257 in 2021.
The order changed in 2017: Hudson moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #601 and #372; by 2017 that had become #317 and #356.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Hudson #188, Rua #329.
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 | Hudson | Rua |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | Used for both boys and girls |
| Meaning | 'Son of Hudde', an English surname associated with explorer Henry Hudson. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | English (patronymic surname) | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈhʌd.sən/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #8 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #329 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Hudson has a recorded origin (English (patronymic surname)); Rua does not have one recorded yet.
- Hudson has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Rua.
- A meaning is recorded for Hudson; Rua doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Hudson
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #2863 among boys in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded2012–2025
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2023 (recorded 2012–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Rua
Popularity journey
First recorded2008
First recorded at #698 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 2008 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded2010–2024
Highest recorded position: #192 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2024 (recorded 2010–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #443 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls