Murray vs Silas

Murray and Silascompared 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, Murray was ranked #88 and Silas #619 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Murray was ranked #1282 and Silas #468 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2015, Murray was ranked #615 and Silas #699 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Murray and Silas over time

Murray and Silas appear together in 1 published list, across 29 years of shared records. Silas held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Murray 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.

Murray reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Silas 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
Murray and Silas changed places 7 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #1282 and #468.

List by list

England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Murray held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Silas in 17.
Highest recorded here: Murray #471 in 1997, Silas #468 in 2024.
The order changed in 2008: Silas moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #764 and #782; by 2008 that had become #987 and #728.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Murray #1282, Silas #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.

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 Murray

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

David vs Murray
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — David #1 in 1961, Murray #70 in 1963.
David · Murray · 15 shared years, 1957–1971 · Peaked in the same years
See the 1963 New South Wales, Australia ranking
John vs Murray
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — John #1 in 1954, Murray #16 in 1955.
John · Murray · 20 shared years, 1954–1973 · Peaked in the same years
See the 1955 New Zealand ranking
Murray vs Graeme
Across 20 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Murray and Graeme averaged 4.0 places apart, ending at #100 and #91.
Murray · Graeme · 20 shared years, 1954–1973 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1973 New Zealand ranking
Alan vs Murray
Across 20 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Alan and Murray averaged 4.5 places apart, ending at #93 and #100.
Alan · Murray · 20 shared years, 1954–1973 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1973 New Zealand ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Murray, Silas
Field	Murray	Silas
Record type	Editorially researched profile	Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usage	male	male
Meaning	Originally a Scottish surname/place-name derived from the region of Moray; traditionally glossed as relating to 'seashore' or 'coastal land', though the exact pre-Gaelic (possibly Pictish) root is uncertain.	Not yet recorded
Origin	Scottish Gaelic, from the place name Moray (possibly of Pictish origin)	Not yet recorded
Pronunciation	/ˈmɜri/	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	Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025)	Norway · Boys #104 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	90/100	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	88/100	94/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Murray has a recorded origin (Scottish Gaelic, from the place name Moray (possibly of Pictish origin)); Silas does not have one recorded yet.
Murray and Silas both have 2 syllables.
A meaning is recorded for Murray; Silas doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.

How each name got here

Murray

Popularity journey

First recorded1954
First recorded at #17 among boys in New Zealand in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1973
Highest recorded position: #16 among boys in New Zealand, in 1955 (recorded 1954–1973).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys

Silas

Popularity journey

First recorded1996
First recorded at #784 among boys in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded2002–2025
Highest recorded position: #92 among boys in Norway, in 2023 (recorded 2002–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #104 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys