Marcus vs Philip
Marcus 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 1973, Marcus was ranked #98 and Philip #66 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1990, Marcus was ranked #91 and Philip #100 among boys in New Zealand.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Marcus was ranked #150 and Philip #91 among boys in Norway.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Marcus was ranked #176 and Philip #619 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Marcus was ranked #232 and Philip #309 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Marcus was ranked #233 and Philip #461 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Marcus was ranked #311 and Philip #311 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Marcus and Philip over time
Marcus and Philip appear together in 5 published lists, across 188 years of shared records. Marcus held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Philip in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Philip reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Marcus 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 1990, Marcus moved ahead of Philip in New Zealand · Boys — #81 and #60 the year before became #91 and #100.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Marcus and Philip changed places 13 times in Norway · Boys between 1963 and 2025, ending at #150 and #91.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 61 shared years in Norway · Boys, Marcus and Philip averaged 56.0 places apart, ending at #150 and #91.
- Longest-running competitions
Marcus and Philip were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 61 years, from 1963 to 2025, ending at #150 and #91.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Marcus held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Philip in 56.
Highest recorded here: Marcus #99 in 1972, Philip #30 in 1978.
The order changed in 2022: Marcus moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #249 and #215; by 2022 that had become #219 and #251.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Marcus #232, Philip #309.
Norway · Boys61 shared years, 1963–2025
Marcus held the stronger position in 45 of those years, Philip in 16.
Highest recorded here: Marcus #24 in 2001, Philip #68 in 2013.
The order changed in 2018: Philip moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #72 and #77; by 2018 that had become #101 and #69.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Marcus #150, Philip #91.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Marcus held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Philip in 0.
Highest recorded here: Marcus #83 in 2001, Philip #103 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Marcus #233, Philip #461.
Northern Ireland · Boys26 shared years, 1997–2022
Marcus held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Philip in 6.
Highest recorded here: Marcus #100 in 2003, Philip #51 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Marcus #311, Philip #311.
New Zealand · Boys10 shared years, 1971–1990
Marcus held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Philip in 9.
Highest recorded here: Marcus #81 in 1985, Philip #38 in 1971.
The order changed in 1990: Marcus moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #81 and #60; by 1990 that had become #91 and #100.
Most recent shared year, 1990: Marcus #91, Philip #100.
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 | Marcus | Philip |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | |
| 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 | Norway · Boys #150 (2025) | Norway · Boys #91 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Marcus and Philip both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Marcus
Popularity journey
First recorded1963
First recorded at #399 among boys in Norway in 1963 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1963–2025
Highest recorded position: #24 among boys in Norway, in 2001 (recorded 1963–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #150 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Philip
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1954–1992
Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New Zealand, in 1963 (recorded 1954–1992).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #91 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys