Ian vs Kevin
Ian and Kevincompared 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 1989, Ian was ranked #78 and Kevin #83 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1985, Ian was ranked #79 and Kevin #83 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Ian was ranked #262 and Kevin #139 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Ian was ranked #263 and Kevin #186 among boys in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Ian was ranked #414 and Kevin #207 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ian was ranked #535 and Kevin #264 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Ian was ranked #619 and Kevin #432 among boys in Scotland.
Ian and Kevin over time
Ian and Kevin appear together in 6 published lists, across 244 years of shared records. Kevin held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Ian in 1.
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.
Kevin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Ian 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 1997, Kevin moved ahead of Ian in England and Wales · Boys — #138 and #141 the year before became #155 and #144.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ian and Kevin changed places 7 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 1985, ending at #79 and #83.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 38 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Ian and Kevin averaged 14.9 places apart, ending at #78 and #83.
- Longest-running competitions
Ian and Kevin were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 38 years, from 1952 to 1989, ending at #78 and #83.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Ian #138 in 1996, Kevin #141 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #138 and #141 in England and Wales · Boys, 3 places apart; by 2024 they were #535 and #264.
List by list
Norway · Boys66 shared years, 1953–2025
Ian held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Kevin in 51.
Highest recorded here: Ian #263 in 2025, Kevin #44 in 2002.
The order changed in 1973: Kevin moved ahead. In 1972 they stood at #394 and #477; by 1973 that had become #349 and #245.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ian #263, Kevin #186.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Ian held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Kevin in 62.
Highest recorded here: Ian #24 in 1990, Kevin #11 in 1987.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ian #262, Kevin #139.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys38 shared years, 1952–1989
Ian held the stronger position in 38 of those years, Kevin in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ian #9 in 1954, Kevin #15 in 1956.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1989: Ian #78, Kevin #83.
New Zealand · Boys32 shared years, 1954–1985
Ian held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Kevin in 26.
Highest recorded here: Ian #10 in 1955, Kevin #8 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1985: Ian #79, Kevin #83.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ian held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Kevin in 28.
Highest recorded here: Ian #138 in 1996, Kevin #141 in 1996.
The order changed in 1997: Kevin moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #138 and #141; by 1997 that had become #155 and #144.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ian #535, Kevin #264.
Northern Ireland · Boys17 shared years, 1997–2022
Ian held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Kevin in 17.
Highest recorded here: Ian #118 in 1999, Kevin #60 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Ian #414, Kevin #207.
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 | Ian | Kevin |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | An Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Iain, itself from Latin Iohannes — ultimately from the same Hebrew root as John. | An Anglicized form of the Irish Caoimhín, combining Old Irish 'cóem' (dear, beloved, gentle) with 'gein' (birth) — 'beloved birth'. Associated with Saint Caoimhín, who founded a monastery at Glendalough in the 6th century. |
| Origin | Hebrew, via Scottish Gaelic transmission | Irish |
| Pronunciation | /ˈiː.ən/ | /ˈkɛv.ɪn/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| 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 | Republic of Ireland · Boys #262 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #139 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ian is recorded with a Hebrew, via Scottish Gaelic transmission origin, while Kevin is recorded with a Irish origin.
- Ian has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Kevin.
- Ian's recorded meaning differs from Kevin'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
Ian
Popularity journey
First recorded1947
First recorded at #351 among boys in Norway in 1947 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1989
Highest recorded position: #9 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1954 (recorded 1952–1989).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #263 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Kevin
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #26 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 recorded1954–1999
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1999).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #186 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys