Ian vs Philip
Ian 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 1985, Ian was ranked #79 and Philip #60 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1988, Ian was ranked #77 and Philip #98 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Ian was ranked #263 and Philip #91 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Ian was ranked #262 and Philip #309 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Ian was ranked #414 and Philip #311 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ian was ranked #535 and Philip #461 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Ian was ranked #619 and Philip #619 among boys in Scotland.
Ian and Philip over time
Ian and Philip appear together in 6 published lists, across 241 years of shared records. Philip held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Ian in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 3 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 3 of those lists, Ian in 2. 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 1969, Philip moved ahead of Ian in New Zealand · Boys — #25 and #31 the year before became #33 and #30.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ian and Philip changed places 5 times in Norway · Boys between 1949 and 2025, ending at #263 and #91.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 36 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Ian and Philip averaged 24.3 places apart, ending at #77 and #98.
- Longest-running competitions
Ian and Philip were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 36 years, from 1952 to 1988, ending at #77 and #98.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Ian #138 in 1996, Philip #103 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys65 shared years, 1949–2025
Ian held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Philip in 52.
Highest recorded here: Ian #263 in 2025, Philip #68 in 2013.
The order changed in 1975: Philip moved ahead. In 1974 they stood at #301 and #338; by 1975 that had become #563 and #502.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ian #263, Philip #91.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Ian held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Philip in 37.
Highest recorded here: Ian #24 in 1990, Philip #30 in 1978.
The order changed in 2023: Ian moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #329 and #251; by 2023 that had become #243 and #303.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ian #262, Philip #309.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys36 shared years, 1952–1988
Ian held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Philip in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ian #9 in 1954, Philip #29 in 1958.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1988: Ian #77, Philip #98.
New Zealand · Boys32 shared years, 1954–1985
Ian held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Philip in 17.
Highest recorded here: Ian #10 in 1955, Philip #20 in 1963.
The order changed in 1969: Philip moved ahead. In 1968 they stood at #25 and #31; by 1969 that had become #33 and #30.
Most recent shared year, 1985: Ian #79, Philip #60.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ian held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Philip in 29.
Highest recorded here: Ian #138 in 1996, Philip #103 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ian #535, Philip #461.
Northern Ireland · Boys17 shared years, 1997–2022
Ian held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Philip in 17.
Highest recorded here: Ian #118 in 1999, Philip #51 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Ian #414, 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 | Ian | Philip |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | An Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Iain, itself from Latin Iohannes — ultimately from the same Hebrew root as John. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Hebrew, via Scottish Gaelic transmission | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈiː.ən/ | Not yet recorded |
| 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) | Norway · Boys #91 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ian has a recorded origin (Hebrew, via Scottish Gaelic transmission); Philip does not have one recorded yet.
- Ian has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Philip.
- A meaning is recorded for Ian; Philip doesn't have one written yet.
- 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
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