Kevin vs Paul
Kevin and Paulcompared 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 1992, Kevin was ranked #97 and Paul #53 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1998, Kevin was ranked #76 and Paul #86 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Kevin was ranked #139 and Paul #286 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Kevin was ranked #164 and Paul #278 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2024, Kevin was ranked #201 and Paul #370 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Kevin was ranked #264 and Paul #586 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Kevin was ranked #432 and Paul #290 among boys in Scotland.
Kevin and Paul over time
Kevin and Paul appear together in 6 published lists, across 271 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in 5 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Paul 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 took the other's place near the top
In Republic of Ireland · Boys, Kevin moved into the top 50 at #47 in 2005 as Paul fell out of it to #54, having been #43 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2009, Kevin moved ahead of Paul in England and Wales · Boys — #184 and #173 the year before became #184 and #215.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Kevin and Paul changed places 9 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #164 and #278.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 46 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Kevin and Paul averaged 34.4 places apart, ending at #76 and #86.
- Longest-running competitions
Kevin and Paul were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 46 years, from 1952 to 1998, ending at #76 and #86.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Kevin #141 in 1996, Paul #72 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys70 shared years, 1953–2024
Kevin held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Paul in 33.
Highest recorded here: Kevin #44 in 2002, Paul #78 in 1953.
The order changed in 1988: Kevin moved ahead. In 1987 they stood at #169 and #145; by 1988 that had become #147 and #154.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kevin #201, Paul #370.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Kevin held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Paul in 29.
Highest recorded here: Kevin #11 in 1987, Paul #3 in 1978.
The order changed in 2005: Kevin moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #44 and #43; by 2005 that had become #47 and #54.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Kevin #139, Paul #286.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys46 shared years, 1952–1998
Kevin held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Paul in 42.
Highest recorded here: Kevin #15 in 1956, Paul #4 in 1966.
The order changed in 1997: Kevin moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #78 and #72; by 1997 that had become #66 and #86.
Most recent shared year, 1998: Kevin #76, Paul #86.
New Zealand · Boys37 shared years, 1954–1992
Kevin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Paul in 37.
Highest recorded here: Kevin #8 in 1954, Paul #3 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1992: Kevin #97, Paul #53.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Kevin held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Paul in 12.
Highest recorded here: Kevin #141 in 1996, Paul #72 in 1996.
The order changed in 2009: Kevin moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #184 and #173; by 2009 that had become #184 and #215.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kevin #264, Paul #586.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2024
Kevin held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Paul in 19.
Highest recorded here: Kevin #60 in 1998, Paul #27 in 1997.
The order changed in 2021: Kevin moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #270 and #213; by 2021 that had become #192 and #200.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kevin #164, Paul #278.
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 | Paul |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Paulus, meaning 'small' in Latin. Saint Paul, originally named Saul, converted to Christianity and became a key missionary figure, authoring several New Testament epistles. |
| Origin | Irish | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɛv.ɪn/ | /ˈpɔːl/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #286 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Kevin is recorded with a Irish origin, while Paul is recorded with a Latin origin.
- Kevin has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Paul.
- Kevin's recorded meaning differs from Paul'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 #186 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Paul
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #73 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1998
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 1965 (recorded 1954–1998).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #286 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys