Namewise

Joseph vs Timothy

Joseph and Timothycompared 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 2005, Joseph was ranked #27 and Timothy #100 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2005, Joseph was ranked #32 and Timothy #78 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Joseph was ranked #34 and Timothy #339 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Joseph was ranked #56 and Timothy #382 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Joseph was ranked #64 and Timothy #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Joseph was ranked #82 and Timothy #535 among boys in Scotland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2019, Joseph was ranked #335 and Timothy #518 among boys in Norway.

Joseph and Timothy over time

Joseph and Timothy appear together in 6 published lists, across 263 years of shared records. Joseph held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Timothy 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.

Timothy reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Joseph in none. 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, Joseph moved ahead of Timothy in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #37 and #35 the year before became #38 and #42.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Joseph and Timothy changed places 8 times in Norway · Boys between 1957 and 2019, ending at #335 and #518.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 54 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Joseph and Timothy averaged 23.4 places apart, ending at #32 and #78.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 52 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Joseph rose about as far as Timothy fell — from #66 and #61 in 1954 to #27 and #100 in 2005.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Joseph and Timothy were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 54 years, from 1952 to 2005, ending at #32 and #78.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Joseph #11 in 1964, Timothy #26 in 1964.

List by list

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

    Joseph held the stronger position in 62 of those years, Timothy in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Joseph #11 in 1964, Timothy #26 in 1964.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Joseph #64, Timothy #329.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys54 shared years, 1952–2005

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

    Highest recorded here: Joseph #32 in 2005, Timothy #11 in 1984.

    The order changed in 1997: Joseph moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #37 and #35; by 1997 that had become #38 and #42.

    Most recent shared year, 2005: Joseph #32, Timothy #78.

  • New Zealand · Boys52 shared years, 1954–2005

    Joseph held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Timothy in 37.

    Highest recorded here: Joseph #18 in 1988, Timothy #10 in 1981.

    The order changed in 1993: Joseph moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #25 and #21; by 1993 that had become #20 and #26.

    Most recent shared year, 2005: Joseph #27, Timothy #100.

  • Norway · Boys38 shared years, 1957–2019

    Joseph held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Timothy in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Joseph #289 in 2014, Timothy #413 in 1988.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Joseph #335, Timothy #518.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Joseph held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Timothy in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Joseph #7 in 2000, Timothy #82 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Joseph #56, Timothy #382.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Joseph held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Timothy in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Joseph #22 in 2013, Timothy #75 in 2000.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Joseph #34, Timothy #339.

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 Timothy

Pairs where Timothy 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 — mirrored each other.

All mirrored each other→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

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

New Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2000s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2000 and 2009.

The 2000s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Joseph, Timothy
FieldJosephTimothy
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedFrom Greek Timotheos, literally 'honouring God', combining 'timao' (to honour) with 'theos' (god). Saint Timothy accompanied the Apostle Paul on missionary journeys.
OriginNot yet recordedGreek
Pronunciation/ˈtɪm.ə.θi/
Syllables23
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)Republic of Ireland · Boys #329 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Timothy has a recorded origin (Greek); Joseph does not have one recorded yet.
  • Joseph has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Timothy.
  • A meaning is recorded for Timothy; 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 recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in England and Wales, in 2000 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #33 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

Timothy

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #61 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

  2. Highest recorded1954–2005

    Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New Zealand, in 1981 (recorded 1954–2005).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys