Martin vs Michael
Martin and Michaelcompared 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, Martin was ranked #99 and Michael #4 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1992, Martin was ranked #97 and Michael #5 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Martin was ranked #102 and Michael #22 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Martin was ranked #216 and Michael #66 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Martin was ranked #352 and Michael #66 among boys in Scotland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Martin was ranked #69 and Michael #195 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Martin was ranked #346 and Michael #85 among boys in England and Wales.
Martin and Michael over time
Martin and Michael appear together in 6 published lists, across 273 years of shared records. Michael held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Martin in 1.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Martin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Michael 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.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 41 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Martin and Michael averaged 59.4 places apart, ending at #97 and #5.
- Longest-running competitions
Martin and Michael were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 41 years, from 1952 to 1992, ending at #97 and #5.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Martin #109 in 1996, Michael #22 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Martin held the stronger position in 81 of those years, Michael in 0.
Highest recorded here: Martin #1 in 1992, Michael #48 in 1990.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Martin #69, Michael #195.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Martin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Michael in 62.
Highest recorded here: Martin #9 in 1964, Michael #2 in 1966.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Martin #102, Michael #22.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys41 shared years, 1952–1992
Martin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Michael in 41.
Highest recorded here: Martin #41 in 1967, Michael #1 in 1974.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1992: Martin #97, Michael #5.
New Zealand · Boys32 shared years, 1954–1992
Martin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Michael in 32.
Highest recorded here: Martin #34 in 1963, Michael #1 in 1968.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1992: Martin #99, Michael #4.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Martin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Michael in 29.
Highest recorded here: Martin #109 in 1996, Michael #22 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Martin #346, Michael #85.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Martin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Michael in 28.
Highest recorded here: Martin #49 in 1997, Michael #7 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Martin #216, Michael #66.
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 | Martin | Michael |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From the Roman name Martinus, connected to Mars, the Roman god of war. Widely known through Saint Martin of Tours, a 4th-century bishop and patron saint of France. | Commonly interpreted as a rhetorical question, 'Who is like God?', implying no one compares to God. |
| Origin | Latin (Ancient Roman) | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmɑɹ.tɪn/ | /ˈmaɪkəl/ |
| 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 #69 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #22 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Martin is recorded with a Latin (Ancient Roman) origin, while Michael is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Martin and Michael both have 2 syllables.
- Martin's recorded meaning differs from Michael'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
Martin
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #83 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 1992 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #69 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Michael
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #259 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1974 (recorded 1952–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #62 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys