Mason vs Raphael
Mason and Raphaelcompared 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.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Mason was ranked #25 and Raphael #268 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2021, Mason was ranked #31 and Raphael #326 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Mason was ranked #63 and Raphael #158 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Mason was ranked #75 and Raphael #468 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Mason and Raphael over time
Mason and Raphael appear together in 2 published lists, across 52 years of shared records. Mason held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Raphael in 0.
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.
Mason reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Raphael in none. 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.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Mason #32 in 2022, Raphael #268 in 2023.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Mason held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Raphael in 0.
Highest recorded here: Mason #27 in 2013, Raphael #156 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Mason #63, Raphael #158.
Republic of Ireland · Boys23 shared years, 1998–2025
Mason held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Raphael in 3.
Highest recorded here: Mason #32 in 2022, Raphael #268 in 2023.
The order changed in 2007: Mason moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #493 and #354; by 2007 that had become #241 and #473.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Mason #75, Raphael #468.
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 | Mason | Raphael |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Originally an occupational surname/vocabulary word meaning 'stoneworker', later adopted as a given name. The deeper root of the word itself is disputed among etymologists — a Germanic (Frankish) origin versus an alternative Medieval Latin source. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | English surname, from Old French masson/macon | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmeɪsən/ | 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, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #56 (2025) | Norway · Boys #415 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Mason has a recorded origin (English surname, from Old French masson/macon); Raphael does not have one recorded yet.
- Mason and Raphael both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Mason; Raphael doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Mason
Popularity journey
First recorded1993
First recorded at #339 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1993 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded2000–2023
Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in New Zealand, in 2014 (recorded 2000–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #56 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Raphael
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #170 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 recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #156 among boys in England and Wales, in 2023 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #468 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys