Hugh vs Philip
Hugh and Philipcompared 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 Zealand · Boys
In 1957, Hugh was ranked #98 and Philip #28 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Hugh was ranked #147 and Philip #311 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Hugh was ranked #179 and Philip #309 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Hugh was ranked #330 and Philip #619 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Hugh was ranked #500 and Philip #461 among boys in England and Wales.
Hugh and Philip over time
Hugh and Philip appear together in 3 published lists, across 117 years of shared records. Philip held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Hugh in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Philip reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Hugh 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 2007, Hugh moved ahead of Philip in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #104 and #101 the year before became #111 and #129.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Hugh and Philip changed places 6 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #500 and #461.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Hugh and Philip averaged 48.0 places apart, ending at #179 and #309.
- Longest-running competitions
Hugh and Philip were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #179 and #309.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Hugh #198 in 1997, Philip #103 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Hugh held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Philip in 39.
Highest recorded here: Hugh #53 in 1964, Philip #30 in 1978.
The order changed in 2007: Hugh moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #104 and #101; by 2007 that had become #111 and #129.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Hugh #179, Philip #309.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Hugh held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Philip in 24.
Highest recorded here: Hugh #198 in 1997, Philip #103 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Hugh #500, Philip #461.
Northern Ireland · Boys26 shared years, 1997–2022
Hugh held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Philip in 13.
Highest recorded here: Hugh #137 in 1998, Philip #51 in 1997.
The order changed in 2018: Hugh moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #363 and #363; by 2018 that had become #215 and #416.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Hugh #147, Philip #311.
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 | Hugh | Philip |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #179 (2025) | Norway · Boys #91 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 92/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Hugh has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Philip.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Hugh
Popularity journey
First recorded1955
First recorded at #91 among boys in New Zealand in 1955 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #53 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #179 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Philip
Popularity journey
First recorded1948
First recorded at #341 among boys in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1992
Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New Zealand, in 1963 (recorded 1954–1992).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #91 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys