Joseph vs Sam
Joseph and Samcompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Joseph was ranked #34 and Sam #187 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2013, Joseph was ranked #42 and Sam #82 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2010, Joseph was ranked #45 and Sam #97 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Joseph was ranked #64 and Sam #50 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Joseph was ranked #56 and Sam #334 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Joseph was ranked #82 and Sam #127 among boys in Scotland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Joseph was ranked #465 and Sam #289 among boys in Norway.
Joseph and Sam over time
Joseph and Sam appear together in 6 published lists, across 205 years of shared records. Joseph held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Sam 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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 3 of the lists they share.
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 2015, Sam moved ahead of Joseph in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #41 and #42 the year before became #42 and #38.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Joseph and Sam changed places 9 times in Norway · Boys between 1960 and 2025, ending at #465 and #289.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Joseph and Sam averaged 43.2 places apart, ending at #45 and #97.
- Longest-running competitions
Joseph and Sam were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 54 years, from 1960 to 2025, ending at #465 and #289.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Joseph #18 in 1988, Sam #49 in 1990.
List by list
Norway · Boys54 shared years, 1960–2025
Joseph held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Sam in 27.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #272 in 1985, Sam #171 in 2024.
The order changed in 2005: Sam moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #411 and #424; by 2005 that had become #430 and #402.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Joseph #465, Sam #289.
Republic of Ireland · Boys43 shared years, 1983–2025
Joseph held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Sam in 11.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #18 in 1983, Sam #38 in 2015.
The order changed in 2015: Sam moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #41 and #42; by 2015 that had become #42 and #38.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Joseph #64, Sam #50.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Joseph held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Sam in 0.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #7 in 2000, Sam #47 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Joseph #56, Sam #334.
New Zealand · Boys28 shared years, 1986–2013
Joseph held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Sam in 0.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #18 in 1988, Sam #49 in 1990.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2013: Joseph #42, Sam #82.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Joseph held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Sam in 0.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #22 in 2013, Sam #44 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Joseph #34, Sam #187.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys23 shared years, 1986–2010
Joseph held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Sam in 0.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #32 in 2005, Sam #63 in 1991.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2010: Joseph #45, Sam #97.
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 | Sam |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| 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 | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #33 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #50 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Joseph has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Sam.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
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
Sam
Popularity journey
First recorded1959
First recorded at #340 among boys in Norway in 1959 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1983–2025
Highest recorded position: #38 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2015 (recorded 1983–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #289 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys