Mehdi vs Oliver

Mehdi 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.

England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Mehdi was ranked #1199 and Oliver #3 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2022, Mehdi was ranked #485 and Oliver #3 among boys in Norway.

Mehdi and Oliver over time

Mehdi and Oliver appear together in 2 published lists, across 70 years of shared records. Oliver held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Mehdi 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.

Mehdi reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Oliver 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.

Repeatedly exchanged positions
Mehdi and Oliver changed places 5 times in Norway · Boys between 1959 and 2022, ending at #485 and #3.
Longest-running competitions
Mehdi and Oliver were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 41 years, from 1959 to 2022, ending at #485 and #3.

List by list

Norway · Boys41 shared years, 1959–2022
Mehdi held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Oliver in 35.
Highest recorded here: Mehdi #368 in 1980, Oliver #2 in 2013.
The order changed in 1990: Oliver moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #433 and #434; by 1990 that had become #536 and #231.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Mehdi #485, Oliver #3.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Mehdi held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Oliver in 29.
Highest recorded here: Mehdi #874 in 1997, Oliver #1 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Mehdi #1199, Oliver #3.

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 Oliver

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

Oliver vs Colin
In 1997 they stood at #100 and #96 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 4 places apart; by 2021 they were #5 and #433.
Oliver · Colin · 21 shared years, 1997–2021 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2021 Northern Ireland ranking
Oliver vs Barry
In 1997 they stood at #100 and #90 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 10 places apart; by 2022 they were #6 and #414.
Oliver · Barry · 21 shared years, 1997–2022 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2022 Northern Ireland ranking
Oliver vs Bradley
In 1997 they stood at #100 and #104 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 4 places apart; by 2024 they were #10 and #404.
Oliver · Bradley · 27 shared years, 1997–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2024 Northern Ireland ranking
Oliver vs Calum
In 1997 they stood at #100 and #100 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 0 places apart; by 2024 they were #10 and #339.
Oliver · Calum · 27 shared years, 1997–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2024 Northern Ireland ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Mehdi, Oliver
Field	Mehdi	Oliver
Record type	Official statistical record (evidence-only)	Editorially researched profile
Gender usage	male	male
Meaning	Not yet recorded	Commonly interpreted as 'olive tree', though the true root is debated.
Origin	Not yet recorded	Old French
Pronunciation	Not yet recorded	/ˈɒlɪvər/
Syllables	2	3
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Ollie, Olivier, Oliviero
Recorded regional usage	GB-ENW, NO	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	England and Wales · Boys #1199 (2024)	United Kingdom #1 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	94/100	88/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	60/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Oliver has a recorded origin (Old French); Mehdi does not have one recorded yet.
Mehdi has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Oliver.
A meaning is recorded for Oliver; Mehdi doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, NO.

How each name got here

Mehdi

Popularity journey

First recorded1959
First recorded at #395 among boys in Norway in 1959 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1959–2022
Highest recorded position: #368 among boys in Norway, in 1980 (recorded 1959–2022).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1199 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys

Oliver

Popularity journey

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
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2009 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys