Killian vs Tobias
Killian and Tobiascompared 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Killian was ranked #627 and Tobias #116 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Killian was ranked #141 and Tobias #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Killian was ranked #187 and Tobias #177 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Killian was ranked #268 and Tobias #352 among boys in Scotland.
Killian and Tobias over time
Killian and Tobias appear together in 3 published lists, across 83 years of shared records. Killian held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Tobias 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.
Tobias reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Killian 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2024, Tobias moved ahead of Killian in Northern Ireland · Boys — #249 and #312 the year before became #187 and #177.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Killian and Tobias changed places 11 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #187 and #177.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 21 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Killian and Tobias averaged 53.9 places apart, ending at #187 and #177.
- Longest-running competitions
Killian and Tobias were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #627 and #116.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys32 shared years, 1965–2025
Killian held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Tobias in 1.
Highest recorded here: Killian #55 in 2001, Tobias #222 in 1965.
The order changed in 1985: Killian moved ahead. In 1984 they stood at #250 and #222; by 1985 that had become #105 and #304.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Killian #141, Tobias #676.
England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Killian held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Tobias in 30.
Highest recorded here: Killian #492 in 2022, Tobias #98 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Killian #627, Tobias #116.
Northern Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 1997–2024
Killian held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Tobias in 4.
Highest recorded here: Killian #157 in 2017, Tobias #177 in 2024.
The order changed in 2024: Tobias moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #249 and #312; by 2024 that had become #187 and #177.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Killian #187, Tobias #177.
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 | Killian | Tobias |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Traditionally understood to mean 'God is good' or 'the Lord is good', from a Hebrew phrase. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Hebrew, via Greek; used in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and German tradition |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /tʊ.ˈbiː.as/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #141 (2025) | Norway · Boys #15 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Tobias has a recorded origin (Hebrew, via Greek; used in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and German tradition); Killian does not have one recorded yet.
- Killian and Tobias both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Tobias; Killian doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Killian
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #204 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #55 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2001 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #627 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys
Tobias
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #222 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1967–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 2005 (recorded 1967–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #116 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys