Karolis vs Stephen
Karolis and Stephencompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2016, Karolis was ranked #601 and Stephen #131 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 1996, Karolis was ranked #365 and Stephen #544 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2018, Karolis was ranked #4749 and Stephen #460 among boys in England and Wales.
Karolis and Stephen over time
Karolis and Stephen appear together in 2 published lists, across 27 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Stephen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Karolis 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Karolis and Stephen changed places 5 times in Norway · Boys between 1978 and 1996, ending at #365 and #544.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Boys within 2 years — Karolis #257 in 1990, Stephen #250 in 1990.
List by list
Norway · Boys15 shared years, 1978–1996
Karolis held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Stephen in 7.
Highest recorded here: Karolis #257 in 1990, Stephen #250 in 1990.
The order changed in 1993: Karolis moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #462 and #329; by 1993 that had become #312 and #388.
Most recent shared year, 1996: Karolis #365, Stephen #544.
England and Wales · Boys12 shared years, 2005–2018
Karolis held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Stephen in 12.
Highest recorded here: Karolis #2027 in 2016, Stephen #168 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Karolis #4749, Stephen #460.
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 | Karolis | Stephen |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | From Greek Stephanos, meaning 'crown, wreath' — literally 'that which surrounds'. Saint Stephen, a deacon stoned to death in the New Testament, is regarded as the first Christian martyr. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Greek |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈstiː.vən/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Steven, Stefan, Stephan |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, IE, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #4749 (2018) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Stephen has a recorded origin (Greek); Karolis does not have one recorded yet.
- Karolis has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Stephen.
- A meaning is recorded for Stephen; Karolis doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE, NO.
- The available evidence gives Karolis a "medium" Data Confidence level and Stephen a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Karolis
Popularity journey
First recorded1978
First recorded at #620 among boys in Norway in 1978 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1978–2013
Highest recorded position: #257 among boys in Norway, in 1990 (recorded 1978–2013).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2018
Most recently recorded at #4749 among boys in England and Wales, in 2018.
England and Wales · Boys
Stephen
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #352 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1997
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1955 (recorded 1952–1997).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys