Karl vs Timothy
Karl 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 1994, Karl was ranked #98 and Timothy #29 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1974, Karl was ranked #100 and Timothy #31 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Boys
In 2019, Karl was ranked #133 and Timothy #518 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Karl was ranked #829 and Timothy #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Karl was ranked #2088 and Timothy #382 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Karl was ranked #414 and Timothy #414 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Karl and Timothy over time
Karl and Timothy appear together in 5 published lists, across 186 years of shared records. Timothy held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Karl in 1.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Karl reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Timothy 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Karl and Timothy changed places 8 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2022, ending at #414 and #414.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 33 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Karl and Timothy averaged 35.9 places apart, ending at #98 and #29.
- Longest-running competitions
Karl and Timothy were both ranked in New Zealand · Boys for 33 years, from 1962 to 1994, ending at #98 and #29.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Karl #110 in 1996, Timothy #82 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys60 shared years, 1964–2025
Karl held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Timothy in 37.
Highest recorded here: Karl #47 in 1989, Timothy #26 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Karl #829, Timothy #329.
Norway · Boys41 shared years, 1957–2019
Karl held the stronger position in 41 of those years, Timothy in 0.
Highest recorded here: Karl #58 in 1957, Timothy #413 in 1988.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Karl #133, Timothy #518.
New Zealand · Boys33 shared years, 1962–1994
Karl held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Timothy in 32.
Highest recorded here: Karl #33 in 1973, Timothy #10 in 1981.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1994: Karl #98, Timothy #29.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Karl held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Timothy in 29.
Highest recorded here: Karl #110 in 1996, Timothy #82 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Karl #2088, Timothy #382.
Northern Ireland · Boys23 shared years, 1997–2022
Karl held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Timothy in 18.
Highest recorded here: Karl #93 in 1997, Timothy #75 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Karl #414, Timothy #414.
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 | Karl | Timothy |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | From Greek Timotheos, literally 'honouring God', combining 'timao' (to honour) with 'theos' (god). Saint Timothy accompanied the Apostle Paul on missionary journeys. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Greek |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈtɪm.ə.θi/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #179 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #329 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Timothy has a recorded origin (Greek); Karl does not have one recorded yet.
- Karl has 1 syllable, compared with 3 for Timothy.
- A meaning is recorded for Timothy; Karl doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Karl
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #35 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1962–1994
Highest recorded position: #33 among boys in New Zealand, in 1973 (recorded 1962–1994).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #179 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Timothy
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1954–2005
Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New Zealand, in 1981 (recorded 1954–2005).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys