Michael vs Toby
Michael and Tobycompared 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 Toby #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2019, Michael was ranked #53 and Toby #93 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Michael was ranked #66 and Toby #125 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Michael was ranked #66 and Toby #234 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Michael was ranked #85 and Toby #86 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2022, Michael was ranked #95 and Toby #91 among boys in New Zealand.
Michael and Toby over time
Michael and Toby appear together in 5 published lists, across 121 years of shared records. Michael held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Toby in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Michael reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Toby 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.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Michael and Toby averaged 18.1 places apart, ending at #85 and #86.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Michael held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Toby in 13.
Highest recorded here: Michael #22 in 1996, Toby #42 in 2014.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Michael #85, Toby #86.
Republic of Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1971–2025
Michael held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Toby in 0.
Highest recorded here: Michael #2 in 1971, Toby #173 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Michael #22, Toby #329.
Northern Ireland · Boys26 shared years, 1997–2024
Michael held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Toby in 0.
Highest recorded here: Michael #7 in 1997, Toby #90 in 2017.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Michael #66, Toby #125.
New Zealand · Boys21 shared years, 2002–2022
Michael held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Toby in 9.
Highest recorded here: Michael #23 in 2003, Toby #41 in 2008.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Michael #95, Toby #91.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys17 shared years, 2003–2019
Michael held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Toby in 0.
Highest recorded here: Michael #26 in 2003, Toby #52 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Michael #53, Toby #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.
Side by side
| Field | Michael | Toby |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as a rhetorical question, 'Who is like God?', implying no one compares to God. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmaɪkəl/ | 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, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #22 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #329 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| 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 has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Toby does not have one recorded yet.
- Michael and Toby both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Michael; Toby doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, 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
Toby
Popularity journey
First recorded1971
First recorded at #304 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1971 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded2002–2023
Highest recorded position: #41 among boys in New Zealand, in 2008 (recorded 2002–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys