Nathan vs Ryan
Nathan and Ryancompared 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 2018, Nathan was ranked #84 and Ryan #31 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Nathan was ranked #70 and Ryan #57 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Nathan was ranked #71 and Ryan #57 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Nathan was ranked #62 and Ryan #104 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Nathan was ranked #88 and Ryan #132 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Nathan was ranked #118 and Ryan #104 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Nathan was ranked #344 and Ryan #364 among boys in Norway.
Nathan and Ryan over time
Nathan and Ryan appear together in 6 published lists, across 233 years of shared records. Ryan held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Nathan in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 3 of the lists they share.
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 2021, Nathan moved ahead of Ryan in England and Wales · Boys — #111 and #101 the year before became #99 and #106.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Nathan and Ryan changed places 7 times in Norway · Boys between 1982 and 2025, ending at #344 and #364.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Nathan and Ryan averaged 12.9 places apart, ending at #88 and #132.
- Longest-running competitions
Nathan and Ryan were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 45 years, from 1973 to 2018, ending at #84 and #31.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Boys within 2 years — Nathan #236 in 2017, Ryan #249 in 2015.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys53 shared years, 1973–2025
Nathan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Ryan in 53.
Highest recorded here: Nathan #26 in 1999, Ryan #6 in 2008.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Nathan #71, Ryan #57.
New Zealand · Boys52 shared years, 1972–2023
Nathan held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Ryan in 38.
Highest recorded here: Nathan #14 in 1995, Ryan #10 in 2006.
The order changed in 1996: Ryan moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #14 and #15; by 1996 that had become #16 and #14.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Nathan #70, Ryan #57.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys45 shared years, 1973–2018
Nathan held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Ryan in 20.
Highest recorded here: Nathan #10 in 1981, Ryan #8 in 2004.
The order changed in 1998: Ryan moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #19 and #24; by 1998 that had become #22 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Nathan #84, Ryan #31.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Nathan held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Ryan in 22.
Highest recorded here: Nathan #24 in 2002, Ryan #7 in 1996.
The order changed in 2021: Nathan moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #111 and #101; by 2021 that had become #99 and #106.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Nathan #88, Ryan #132.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Nathan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Ryan in 28.
Highest recorded here: Nathan #15 in 2000, Ryan #2 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Nathan #118, Ryan #104.
Norway · Boys26 shared years, 1982–2025
Nathan held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Ryan in 6.
Highest recorded here: Nathan #236 in 2017, Ryan #249 in 2015.
The order changed in 2021: Nathan moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #328 and #291; by 2021 that had become #277 and #298.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Nathan #344, Ryan #364.
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 | Nathan | Ryan |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'he gave' or 'he has given'. | The Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Riain, a patronymic from the given name Rian. The exact meaning of Rian itself remains uncertain, despite a popular but unconfirmed 'little king' gloss. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Irish (surname origin) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈneɪθən/ | /ˈɹaɪ.ən/ |
| 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 #71 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #57 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Nathan is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Ryan is recorded with a Irish (surname origin) origin.
- Nathan has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Ryan.
- Nathan's recorded meaning differs from Ryan'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
Nathan
Popularity journey
First recorded1968
First recorded at #267 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1968 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1969–2018
Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1981 (recorded 1969–2018).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #344 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Ryan
Popularity journey
First recorded1971
First recorded at #280 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 recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 1997 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #81 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys