Kai vs Oliver
Kai and Olivercompared 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, Kai was ranked #23 and Oliver #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Kai was ranked #72 and Oliver #3 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Kai was ranked #282 and Oliver #5 among boys in Norway.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Kai was ranked #56 and Oliver #7 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Kai was ranked #69 and Oliver #10 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Kai was ranked #34 and Oliver #18 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Kai and Oliver over time
Kai and Oliver appear together in 5 published lists, across 167 years of shared records. Oliver held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Kai in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Kai reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Oliver 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 1992, Oliver moved ahead of Kai in Norway · Boys — #177 and #246 the year before became #232 and #200.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Kai and Oliver averaged 48.7 places apart, ending at #23 and #2.
- Longest-running competitions
Kai and Oliver were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 60 years, from 1959 to 2025, ending at #282 and #5.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Kai #30 in 2024, Oliver #18 in 2025.
List by list
Norway · Boys60 shared years, 1959–2025
Kai held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Oliver in 34.
Highest recorded here: Kai #57 in 1976, Oliver #1 in 2018.
The order changed in 1992: Oliver moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #177 and #246; by 1992 that had become #232 and #200.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Kai #282, Oliver #5.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Kai held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Oliver in 29.
Highest recorded here: Kai #56 in 2003, Oliver #1 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kai #72, Oliver #3.
Republic of Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2025
Kai held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Oliver in 28.
Highest recorded here: Kai #30 in 2024, Oliver #18 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Kai #34, Oliver #18.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1998–2024
Kai held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Oliver in 27.
Highest recorded here: Kai #52 in 2021, Oliver #3 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kai #69, Oliver #10.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys23 shared years, 2002–2025
Kai held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Oliver in 23.
Highest recorded here: Kai #20 in 2023, Oliver #1 in 2014.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Kai #23, Oliver #2.
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 | Kai | Oliver |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Commonly interpreted as 'olive tree', though the true root is debated. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Old French |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈɒlɪvər/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Ollie, Olivier, Oliviero |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #23 (2025) | United Kingdom #1 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Oliver has a recorded origin (Old French); Kai does not have one recorded yet.
- Kai has 1 syllable, compared with 3 for Oliver.
- A meaning is recorded for Oliver; Kai doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Kai
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #76 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded2002–2025
Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2023 (recorded 2002–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #23 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Oliver
Popularity journey
First recorded1959
First recorded at #478 among boys in Norway in 1959 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2009 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys