Michael vs Paul
Michael and Paulcompared 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 1998, Michael was ranked #14 and Paul #86 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1998, Michael was ranked #15 and Paul #86 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Michael was ranked #22 and Paul #286 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Michael was ranked #66 and Paul #278 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Michael was ranked #66 and Paul #290 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Michael was ranked #85 and Paul #586 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2024, Michael was ranked #186 and Paul #370 among boys in Norway.
Michael and Paul over time
Michael and Paul appear together in 6 published lists, across 290 years of shared records. Michael held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Paul 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.
Paul 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1976, Michael moved ahead of Paul in Norway · Boys — #134 and #120 the year before became #101 and #128.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Michael and Paul changed places 5 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2024, ending at #186 and #370.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 46 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Michael and Paul averaged 17.3 places apart, ending at #14 and #86.
- Longest-running competitions
Michael and Paul were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 46 years, from 1952 to 1998, ending at #14 and #86.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Michael #22 in 1996, Paul #72 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1964 they stood at #3 and #4 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 1 places apart; by 2025 they were #22 and #286.
List by list
Norway · Boys80 shared years, 1945–2024
Michael held the stronger position in 51 of those years, Paul in 29.
Highest recorded here: Michael #48 in 1990, Paul #67 in 1946.
The order changed in 1976: Michael moved ahead. In 1975 they stood at #134 and #120; by 1976 that had become #101 and #128.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Michael #186, Paul #370.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Michael held the stronger position in 60 of those years, Paul in 2.
Highest recorded here: Michael #2 in 1966, Paul #3 in 1978.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Michael #22, Paul #286.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys46 shared years, 1952–1998
Michael held the stronger position in 46 of those years, Paul in 0.
Highest recorded here: Michael #1 in 1974, Paul #4 in 1966.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1998: Michael #14, Paul #86.
New Zealand · Boys45 shared years, 1954–1998
Michael held the stronger position in 44 of those years, Paul in 1.
Highest recorded here: Michael #1 in 1968, Paul #3 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1998: Michael #15, Paul #86.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Michael held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Paul in 0.
Highest recorded here: Michael #22 in 1996, Paul #72 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Michael #85, Paul #586.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Michael held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Paul in 0.
Highest recorded here: Michael #7 in 1997, Paul #27 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Michael #66, Paul #278.
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 | Michael | Paul |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as a rhetorical question, 'Who is like God?', implying no one compares to God. | From the Roman name Paulus, meaning 'small' in Latin. Saint Paul, originally named Saul, converted to Christianity and became a key missionary figure, authoring several New Testament epistles. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmaɪkəl/ | /ˈpɔːl/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| 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 | Republic of Ireland · Boys #22 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #286 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Michael is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Paul is recorded with a Latin origin.
- Michael has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Paul.
- Michael's recorded meaning differs from Paul'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
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
Paul
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #73 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1998
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 1965 (recorded 1954–1998).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #286 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys