Neil vs Russell
Neil and Russellcompared 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 Zealand · Boys
In 1979, Neil was ranked #90 and Russell #85 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1985, Neil was ranked #98 and Russell #97 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Neil was ranked #329 and Russell #657 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2020, Neil was ranked #392 and Russell #392 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Neil was ranked #968 and Russell #1460 among boys in England and Wales.
Neil and Russell over time
Neil and Russell appear together in 4 published lists, across 122 years of shared records. Neil held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Russell 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.
Neil reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Russell 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1979, Russell moved ahead of Neil in New Zealand · Boys — #86 and #99 the year before became #90 and #85.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Neil and Russell changed places 10 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #968 and #1460.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Neil and Russell averaged 13.1 places apart, ending at #98 and #97.
- Longest-running competitions
Neil and Russell were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 44 years, from 1964 to 2022, ending at #329 and #657.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Neil #232 in 1996, Russell #257 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys44 shared years, 1964–2022
Neil held the stronger position in 44 of those years, Russell in 0.
Highest recorded here: Neil #55 in 1978, Russell #205 in 1980.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Neil #329, Russell #657.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Neil held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Russell in 6.
Highest recorded here: Neil #232 in 1996, Russell #257 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Neil #968, Russell #1460.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys29 shared years, 1952–1985
Neil held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Russell in 3.
Highest recorded here: Neil #32 in 1955, Russell #46 in 1958.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1985: Neil #98, Russell #97.
New Zealand · Boys20 shared years, 1954–1979
Neil held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Russell in 3.
Highest recorded here: Neil #30 in 1956, Russell #37 in 1959.
The order changed in 1979: Russell moved ahead. In 1978 they stood at #86 and #99; by 1979 that had become #90 and #85.
Most recent shared year, 1979: Neil #90, Russell #85.
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 | Neil | Russell |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #372 (2025) | Scotland · Boys #727 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Neil has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Russell.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Neil
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #42 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1979
Highest recorded position: #30 among boys in New Zealand, in 1956 (recorded 1954–1979).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #372 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Russell
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #49 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1979
Highest recorded position: #37 among boys in New Zealand, in 1959 (recorded 1954–1979).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1460 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys