Nicholas vs Scott
Nicholas and Scottcompared 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 1999, Nicholas was ranked #8 and Scott #95 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2002, Nicholas was ranked #33 and Scott #96 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Nicholas was ranked #191 and Scott #199 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Nicholas was ranked #198 and Scott #198 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Nicholas was ranked #211 and Scott #1025 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Nicholas was ranked #305 and Scott #239 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Nicholas was ranked #325 and Scott #365 among boys in Norway.
Nicholas and Scott over time
Nicholas and Scott appear together in 6 published lists, across 249 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Nicholas reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Scott in 2. 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 2006, Nicholas moved ahead of Scott in England and Wales · Boys — #106 and #99 the year before became #107 and #125.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Nicholas and Scott changed places 6 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1960 and 2002, ending at #33 and #96.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 43 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Nicholas and Scott averaged 28.5 places apart, ending at #8 and #95.
- Longest-running competitions
Nicholas and Scott were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 43 years, from 1957 to 1999, ending at #8 and #95.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Nicholas #52 in 1996, Scott #48 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #52 and #48 in England and Wales · Boys, 4 places apart; by 2024 they were #211 and #1025.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys56 shared years, 1970–2025
Nicholas held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Scott in 29.
Highest recorded here: Nicholas #77 in 1977, Scott #42 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Nicholas #198, Scott #198.
Norway · Boys51 shared years, 1966–2025
Nicholas held the stronger position in 47 of those years, Scott in 4.
Highest recorded here: Nicholas #126 in 2004, Scott #213 in 2011.
The order changed in 2019: Nicholas moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #246 and #236; by 2019 that had become #199 and #325.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Nicholas #325, Scott #365.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys43 shared years, 1957–1999
Nicholas held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Scott in 31.
Highest recorded here: Nicholas #7 in 1996, Scott #8 in 1973.
The order changed in 1988: Nicholas moved ahead. In 1987 they stood at #17 and #15; by 1988 that had become #15 and #17.
Most recent shared year, 1999: Nicholas #8, Scott #95.
New Zealand · Boys43 shared years, 1960–2002
Nicholas held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Scott in 13.
Highest recorded here: Nicholas #8 in 1983, Scott #12 in 1977.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2002: Nicholas #33, Scott #96.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Nicholas held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Scott in 10.
Highest recorded here: Nicholas #52 in 1996, Scott #48 in 1996.
The order changed in 2006: Nicholas moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #106 and #99; by 2006 that had become #107 and #125.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Nicholas #211, Scott #1025.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2024
Nicholas held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Scott in 23.
Highest recorded here: Nicholas #104 in 2000, Scott #36 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Nicholas #305, Scott #239.
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 | Nicholas | Scott |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From Greek Nikolaos, combining 'nike' (victory) and 'laos' (people) — 'victory of the people'. Associated with Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century bishop and the inspiration for Santa Claus. | An English/Scottish surname referring to a person from Scotland or a Scottish Gaelic speaker, from Latin 'Scoti' ('Gael, Gaelic speaker') — the ultimate origin of that Latin term is itself uncertain. |
| Origin | Greek | English/Scottish (surname origin) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈnɪk.ə.ləs/ | /ˈskɑt/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 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 #198 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #198 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Nicholas is recorded with a Greek origin, while Scott is recorded with a English/Scottish (surname origin) origin.
- Nicholas has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Scott.
- Nicholas's recorded meaning differs from Scott'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
Nicholas
Popularity journey
First recorded1951
First recorded at #384 among boys in Norway in 1951 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1955–2024
Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2002 (recorded 1955–2024).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #325 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Scott
Popularity journey
First recorded1957
First recorded at #75 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1957 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1957–1999
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1973 (recorded 1957–1999).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #365 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys