Namewise

Magnus vs Oliver

Magnus and Olivercompared 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, Magnus was ranked #17 and Oliver #5 among boys in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Magnus was ranked #432 and Oliver #6 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Magnus was ranked #130 and Oliver #7 among boys in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2023, Magnus was ranked #312 and Oliver #8 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2019, Magnus was ranked #764 and Oliver #24 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Magnus and Oliver over time

Magnus and Oliver appear together in 2 published lists, across 90 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.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.

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.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys60 shared years, 1959–2025

    Magnus held the stronger position in 46 of those years, Oliver in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Magnus #3 in 2013, Oliver #1 in 2018.

    The order changed in 2015: Oliver moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #3 and #6; by 2015 that had become #8 and #2.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Magnus #17, Oliver #5.

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

    Magnus held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Oliver in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Magnus #335 in 2022, Oliver #1 in 2009.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Magnus #432, Oliver #6.

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 Magnus

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

Other comparisons involving Oliver

Pairs where Oliver 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 — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from Norway lists

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

Norway overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Magnus, Oliver
FieldMagnusOliver
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningDirectly 'great' or 'mighty' in Latin.Commonly interpreted as 'olive tree', though the true root is debated.
OriginLatinOld French
Pronunciation/ˈmæɡnəs//ˈɒlɪvər/
Syllables23
Common variants / nicknamesMagsOllie, Olivier, Oliviero
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NOAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway #12 (2025)United Kingdom #1 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Magnus is recorded with a Latin origin, while Oliver is recorded with a Old French origin.
  • Magnus has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Oliver.
  • Magnus's recorded meaning differs from Oliver's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
  • The available evidence gives Magnus a "high" Data Confidence level and Oliver a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Magnus

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #125 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Norway, in 2013 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #432 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Oliver

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1959

    First recorded at #478 among boys in Norway in 1959 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2009 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #6 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys