Joseph vs Patrick
Joseph and Patrickcompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Joseph was ranked #64 and Patrick #25 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Joseph was ranked #34 and Patrick #26 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Joseph was ranked #33 and Patrick #83 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Joseph was ranked #56 and Patrick #120 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2020, Joseph was ranked #68 and Patrick #93 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Joseph was ranked #82 and Patrick #125 among boys in Scotland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Joseph was ranked #465 and Patrick #327 among boys in Norway.
Joseph and Patrick over time
Joseph and Patrick appear together in 6 published lists, across 320 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Patrick reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Joseph 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 2013, Joseph moved ahead of Patrick in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #53 and #51 the year before became #41 and #48.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Joseph and Patrick changed places 11 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1952 and 2025, ending at #33 and #83.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 74 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Joseph and Patrick averaged 9.2 places apart, ending at #33 and #83.
- Longest-running competitions
Joseph and Patrick were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 74 years, from 1952 to 2025, ending at #33 and #83.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Joseph #11 in 1964, Patrick #2 in 1964.
List by list
New South Wales, Australia · Boys74 shared years, 1952–2025
Joseph held the stronger position in 47 of those years, Patrick in 27.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #32 in 2005, Patrick #30 in 1994.
The order changed in 2013: Joseph moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #53 and #51; by 2013 that had become #41 and #48.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Joseph #33, Patrick #83.
New Zealand · Boys64 shared years, 1954–2020
Joseph held the stronger position in 49 of those years, Patrick in 15.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #18 in 1988, Patrick #45 in 1967.
The order changed in 1971: Joseph moved ahead. In 1970 they stood at #84 and #67; by 1971 that had become #64 and #66.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Joseph #68, Patrick #93.
Norway · Boys63 shared years, 1949–2025
Joseph held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Patrick in 57.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #272 in 1985, Patrick #67 in 1989.
The order changed in 1977: Patrick moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #301 and #307; by 1977 that had become #510 and #283.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Joseph #465, Patrick #327.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Joseph held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Patrick in 62.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #11 in 1964, Patrick #2 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Joseph #64, Patrick #25.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Joseph held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Patrick in 0.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #7 in 2000, Patrick #66 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Joseph #56, Patrick #120.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Joseph held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Patrick in 20.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #22 in 2013, Patrick #18 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Joseph #34, Patrick #26.
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 | Joseph | Patrick |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | From Latin Patricius, meaning 'nobleman, patrician'. Adopted by Saint Patrick (originally named Sucat), a Romanized Briton who Christianized Ireland and became its patron saint. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈpæt.ɹɪk/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Pádraig, Pádraic |
| 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 | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #33 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #25 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Patrick has a recorded origin (Latin); Joseph does not have one recorded yet.
- Joseph and Patrick both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Patrick; Joseph doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Joseph a "medium" Data Confidence level and Patrick a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Joseph
Popularity journey
First recorded1949
First recorded at #326 among boys in Norway in 1949 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in England and Wales, in 2000 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #33 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Patrick
Popularity journey
First recorded1948
First recorded at #315 among boys in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #83 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys