Namewise

Hunter vs Wilfred

Hunter and Wilfredcompared 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, Hunter was ranked #78 and Wilfred #133 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Hunter was ranked #93 and Wilfred #404 among boys in Northern Ireland.

Hunter and Wilfred over time

Hunter and Wilfred appear together in 1 published list, across 29 years of shared records. Wilfred held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Hunter 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.

Hunter reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Wilfred 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.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Hunter held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Wilfred in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Hunter #44 in 2018, Wilfred #116 in 2023.

    The order changed in 2012: Hunter moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #473 and #305; by 2012 that had become #238 and #293.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Hunter #78, Wilfred #133.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Hunter, Wilfred
FieldHunterWilfred
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningAn English occupational surname, from Old English 'hunta'/'huntian' ('to hunt') — someone who hunted for a living.Not yet recorded
OriginEnglish, an occupational surname describing someone who huntedNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈhʌn.təɹ/Not yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR
Most recent popularity observationNew South Wales, Australia · Boys #60 (2025)England and Wales · Boys #133 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/10060/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Hunter has a recorded origin (English, an occupational surname describing someone who hunted); Wilfred does not have one recorded yet.
  • Hunter and Wilfred both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Hunter; Wilfred doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR.

How each name got here

Hunter

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1996

    First recorded at #2357 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

  2. Highest recorded1999–2023

    Highest recorded position: #5 among boys in New Zealand, in 2017 (recorded 1999–2023).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #60 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

Wilfred

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1996

    First recorded at #976 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

  2. Highest recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #116 among boys in England and Wales, in 2023 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #133 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Boys