Namewise

Michael vs Robert

Michael and Robertcompared 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.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Michael was ranked #22 and Robert #104 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2003, Michael was ranked #26 and Robert #95 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2012, Michael was ranked #53 and Robert #80 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Michael was ranked #66 and Robert #93 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Michael was ranked #66 and Robert #80 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Michael was ranked #85 and Robert #164 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Michael was ranked #195 and Robert #363 among boys in Norway.

Michael and Robert over time

Michael and Robert appear together in 6 published lists, across 311 years of shared records. Michael held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Robert in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Robert 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 1956, Michael moved ahead of Robert in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #5 and #4 the year before became #5 and #6.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Michael and Robert changed places 7 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2025, ending at #195 and #363.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Michael and Robert averaged 37.7 places apart, ending at #85 and #164.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Michael and Robert were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #85 and #164.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Michael #22 in 1996, Robert #30 in 1996.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025

    Michael held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Robert in 47.

    Highest recorded here: Michael #48 in 1990, Robert #25 in 1974.

    The order changed in 1996: Michael moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #82 and #80; by 1996 that had become #81 and #92.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Michael #195, Robert #363.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Michael held the stronger position in 62 of those years, Robert in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Michael #2 in 1966, Robert #12 in 1978.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Michael #22, Robert #104.

  • New Zealand · Boys58 shared years, 1954–2012

    Michael held the stronger position in 58 of those years, Robert in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Michael #1 in 1968, Robert #5 in 1954.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2012: Michael #53, Robert #80.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys52 shared years, 1952–2003

    Michael held the stronger position in 48 of those years, Robert in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Michael #1 in 1974, Robert #3 in 1952.

    The order changed in 1956: Michael moved ahead. In 1955 they stood at #5 and #4; by 1956 that had become #5 and #6.

    Most recent shared year, 2003: Michael #26, Robert #95.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Michael held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Robert in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Michael #22 in 1996, Robert #30 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Michael #85, Robert #164.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Michael held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Robert in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Michael #7 in 1997, Robert #35 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Michael #66, Robert #93.

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 Michael

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

Other comparisons involving Robert

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

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2000s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2000 and 2009.

The 2000s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Michael, Robert
FieldMichaelRobert
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as a rhetorical question, 'Who is like God?', implying no one compares to God.From Germanic Hrodebert, combining 'hruod' (fame) with 'beraht' (bright) — 'bright fame'. Introduced to Britain by the Normans, later borne by Robert the Bruce.
OriginBiblical HebrewGermanic
Pronunciation/ˈmaɪkəl//ˈɹɑb.əɹt/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #22 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #104 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Michael is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Robert is recorded with a Germanic origin.
  • Michael and Robert both have 2 syllables.
  • Michael's recorded meaning differs from Robert'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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1974 (recorded 1952–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #85 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Robert

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #126 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1952–2003

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–2003).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #164 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys