Kevin vs Martin
Kevin and Martincompared 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.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Kevin was ranked #186 and Martin #69 among boys in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1992, Kevin was ranked #71 and Martin #97 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1992, Kevin was ranked #97 and Martin #99 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Kevin was ranked #139 and Martin #102 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Kevin was ranked #164 and Martin #216 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Kevin was ranked #292 and Martin #363 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Kevin was ranked #432 and Martin #352 among boys in Scotland.
Kevin and Martin over time
Kevin and Martin appear together in 6 published lists, across 263 years of shared records. Kevin held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Martin in 1.
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.
Martin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Kevin 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 2001, Kevin moved ahead of Martin in England and Wales · Boys — #179 and #162 the year before became #172 and #177.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Kevin and Martin changed places 8 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1952 and 1992, ending at #71 and #97.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 41 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Kevin and Martin averaged 18.1 places apart, ending at #71 and #97.
- Longest-running competitions
Kevin and Martin were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #292 and #363.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Kevin #141 in 1996, Martin #109 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys71 shared years, 1953–2025
Kevin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Martin in 71.
Highest recorded here: Kevin #44 in 2002, Martin #1 in 1992.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Kevin #186, Martin #69.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Kevin held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Martin in 25.
Highest recorded here: Kevin #11 in 1987, Martin #9 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Kevin #139, Martin #102.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys41 shared years, 1952–1992
Kevin held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Martin in 15.
Highest recorded here: Kevin #15 in 1956, Martin #41 in 1967.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1992: Kevin #71, Martin #97.
New Zealand · Boys32 shared years, 1954–1992
Kevin held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Martin in 1.
Highest recorded here: Kevin #8 in 1954, Martin #34 in 1963.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1992: Kevin #97, Martin #99.
England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Kevin held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Martin in 5.
Highest recorded here: Kevin #141 in 1996, Martin #109 in 1996.
The order changed in 2001: Kevin moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #179 and #162; by 2001 that had become #172 and #177.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Kevin #292, Martin #363.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2024
Kevin held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Martin in 12.
Highest recorded here: Kevin #60 in 1998, Martin #49 in 1997.
The order changed in 2022: Kevin moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #192 and #166; by 2022 that had become #207 and #221.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kevin #164, Martin #216.
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 | Kevin | Martin |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | An Anglicized form of the Irish Caoimhín, combining Old Irish 'cóem' (dear, beloved, gentle) with 'gein' (birth) — 'beloved birth'. Associated with Saint Caoimhín, who founded a monastery at Glendalough in the 6th century. | From the Roman name Martinus, connected to Mars, the Roman god of war. Widely known through Saint Martin of Tours, a 4th-century bishop and patron saint of France. |
| Origin | Irish | Latin (Ancient Roman) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɛv.ɪn/ | /ˈmɑɹ.tɪn/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #139 (2025) | Norway · Boys #69 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Kevin is recorded with a Irish origin, while Martin is recorded with a Latin (Ancient Roman) origin.
- Kevin and Martin both have 2 syllables.
- Kevin's recorded meaning differs from Martin's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Kevin
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #26 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 recorded1954–1999
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1999).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #292 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys
Martin
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #83 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 1992 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #363 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys