Namewise

Kevin vs Philip

Kevin and Philipcompared 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 1988, Kevin was ranked #79 and Philip #98 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Kevin was ranked #186 and Philip #91 among boys in Norway.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1992, Kevin was ranked #97 and Philip #95 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Kevin was ranked #139 and Philip #309 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2022, Kevin was ranked #207 and Philip #311 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Kevin was ranked #292 and Philip #549 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Kevin was ranked #432 and Philip #619 among boys in Scotland.

Kevin and Philip over time

Kevin and Philip appear together in 6 published lists, across 258 years of shared records. Kevin held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Philip in 0.

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.

Kevin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Philip 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 2002, Kevin moved ahead of Philip in England and Wales · Boys — #172 and #167 the year before became #184 and #189.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Kevin and Philip changed places 8 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1952 and 1988, ending at #79 and #98.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 36 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Kevin and Philip averaged 10.9 places apart, ending at #79 and #98.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Kevin and Philip were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #292 and #549.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Kevin #141 in 1996, Philip #103 in 1996.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys67 shared years, 1953–2025

    Kevin held the stronger position in 47 of those years, Philip in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Kevin #44 in 2002, Philip #68 in 2013.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Kevin #186, Philip #91.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Kevin held the stronger position in 62 of those years, Philip in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Kevin #11 in 1987, Philip #30 in 1978.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Kevin #139, Philip #309.

  • New Zealand · Boys37 shared years, 1954–1992

    Kevin held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Philip in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Kevin #8 in 1954, Philip #20 in 1963.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 1992: Kevin #97, Philip #95.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys36 shared years, 1952–1988

    Kevin held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Philip in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Kevin #15 in 1956, Philip #29 in 1958.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 1988: Kevin #79, Philip #98.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Kevin held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Philip in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Kevin #141 in 1996, Philip #103 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2002: Kevin moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #172 and #167; by 2002 that had become #184 and #189.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Kevin #292, Philip #549.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys26 shared years, 1997–2022

    Kevin held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Philip in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Kevin #60 in 1998, Philip #51 in 1997.

    The order changed in 1998: Kevin moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #70 and #51; by 1998 that had become #60 and #67.

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Kevin #207, Philip #311.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Kevin

Pairs where Kevin shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Philip

Pairs where Philip shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1980s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1980 and 1989.

The 1980s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Kevin, Philip
FieldKevinPhilip
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningAn 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.Not yet recorded
OriginIrishNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈkɛv.ɪn/Not yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #139 (2025)Norway · Boys #91 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Kevin has a recorded origin (Irish); Philip does not have one recorded yet.
  • Kevin and Philip both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Kevin; Philip doesn't have one written yet.
  • 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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1954–1999

    Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1999).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #292 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Philip

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1948

    First recorded at #341 among boys in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1954–1992

    Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New Zealand, in 1963 (recorded 1954–1992).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #549 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys