Namewise

Joseph vs Samuel

Joseph and Samuelcompared 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 2025, Joseph was ranked #33 and Samuel #38 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Joseph was ranked #34 and Samuel #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2023, Joseph was ranked #69 and Samuel #50 among boys in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Joseph was ranked #59 and Samuel #66 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Joseph was ranked #64 and Samuel #76 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Joseph was ranked #82 and Samuel #69 among boys in Scotland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Joseph was ranked #465 and Samuel #75 among boys in Norway.

Joseph and Samuel over time

Joseph and Samuel appear together in 6 published lists, across 292 years of shared records. Samuel held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Joseph in 2.

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.

Joseph reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Samuel 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 took the other's place near the top

    In New Zealand · Boys, Samuel moved into the top 50 at #48 in 2022 as Joseph fell out of it to #61, having been #46 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2022, Samuel moved ahead of Joseph in New Zealand · Boys — #46 and #50 the year before became #61 and #48.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Joseph and Samuel changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2025, ending at #59 and #66.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Joseph and Samuel averaged 3.5 places apart, ending at #59 and #66.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Joseph and Samuel were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #59 and #66.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Joseph #32 in 2005, Samuel #10 in 2003.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys65 shared years, 1954–2025

    Joseph held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Samuel in 55.

    Highest recorded here: Joseph #272 in 1985, Samuel #44 in 2019.

    The order changed in 1974: Samuel moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #444 and #523; by 1974 that had become #564 and #326.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Joseph #465, Samuel #75.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Joseph held the stronger position in 54 of those years, Samuel in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Joseph #11 in 1964, Samuel #33 in 2013.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Joseph #64, Samuel #76.

  • New Zealand · Boys54 shared years, 1967–2023

    Joseph held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Samuel in 45.

    Highest recorded here: Joseph #18 in 1988, Samuel #3 in 1998.

    The order changed in 2022: Samuel moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #46 and #50; by 2022 that had become #61 and #48.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Joseph #69, Samuel #50.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys53 shared years, 1972–2025

    Joseph held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Samuel in 39.

    Highest recorded here: Joseph #32 in 2005, Samuel #10 in 2003.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Joseph #33, Samuel #38.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Joseph held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Samuel in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Joseph #7 in 2000, Samuel #6 in 2004.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Joseph #59, Samuel #66.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Joseph held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Samuel in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Joseph #22 in 2013, Samuel #25 in 2005.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Joseph #34, Samuel #64.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Joseph

Pairs where Joseph shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Samuel

Pairs where Samuel shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

Pairs measured inside England and Wales's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

England and Wales overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Joseph, Samuel
FieldJosephSamuel
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedTraditionally rendered as 'name of God', though also popularly interpreted as 'God has heard' — sources differ on which root is emphasised.
OriginNot yet recordedBiblical Hebrew, via Greek Samouel
Pronunciation/ˈsæmjuːəl/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNew South Wales, Australia · Boys #33 (2025)New South Wales, Australia · Boys #38 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Samuel has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Samouel); Joseph does not have one recorded yet.
  • Joseph and Samuel both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Samuel; Joseph 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

Joseph

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in England and Wales, in 2000 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #59 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Samuel

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #339 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1967–2023

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 1998 (recorded 1967–2023).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #66 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys