Nicholas vs Timothy
Nicholas and Timothycompared 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 2005, Nicholas was ranked #13 and Timothy #78 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2005, Nicholas was ranked #52 and Timothy #100 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Nicholas was ranked #191 and Timothy #535 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Nicholas was ranked #198 and Timothy #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2019, Nicholas was ranked #199 and Timothy #518 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Nicholas was ranked #211 and Timothy #382 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Nicholas was ranked #305 and Timothy #339 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Nicholas and Timothy over time
Nicholas and Timothy appear together in 6 published lists, across 259 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Timothy reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Nicholas 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 1990, Nicholas moved ahead of Timothy in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #16 and #15 the year before became #13 and #16.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Nicholas and Timothy changed places 9 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #305 and #339.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 51 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Nicholas and Timothy averaged 25.8 places apart, ending at #13 and #78.
- Mirrored each other
Over 51 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Nicholas rose about as far as Timothy fell — from #93 and #46 in 1955 to #13 and #78 in 2005.
- Longest-running competitions
Nicholas and Timothy were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 51 years, from 1955 to 2005, ending at #13 and #78.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Nicholas #52 in 1996, Timothy #82 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Nicholas held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Timothy in 40.
Highest recorded here: Nicholas #58 in 1964, Timothy #26 in 1964.
The order changed in 2007: Nicholas moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #147 and #147; by 2007 that had become #143 and #178.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Nicholas #198, Timothy #329.
New Zealand · Boys52 shared years, 1954–2005
Nicholas held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Timothy in 16.
Highest recorded here: Nicholas #8 in 1983, Timothy #10 in 1981.
The order changed in 1970: Nicholas moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #38 and #24; by 1970 that had become #27 and #30.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Nicholas #52, Timothy #100.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys51 shared years, 1955–2005
Nicholas held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Timothy in 34.
Highest recorded here: Nicholas #6 in 2002, Timothy #11 in 1984.
The order changed in 1990: Nicholas moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #16 and #15; by 1990 that had become #13 and #16.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Nicholas #13, Timothy #78.
Norway · Boys37 shared years, 1958–2019
Nicholas held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Timothy in 2.
Highest recorded here: Nicholas #126 in 2004, Timothy #413 in 1988.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Nicholas #199, Timothy #518.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Nicholas held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Timothy in 0.
Highest recorded here: Nicholas #52 in 1996, Timothy #82 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Nicholas #211, Timothy #382.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Nicholas held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Timothy in 17.
Highest recorded here: Nicholas #104 in 2000, Timothy #75 in 2000.
The order changed in 2024: Nicholas moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #312 and #249; by 2024 that had become #305 and #339.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Nicholas #305, Timothy #339.
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 | Timothy |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | From Greek Timotheos, literally 'honouring God', combining 'timao' (to honour) with 'theos' (god). Saint Timothy accompanied the Apostle Paul on missionary journeys. |
| Origin | Greek | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈnɪk.ə.ləs/ | /ˈtɪm.ə.θi/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| 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 #329 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Both Nicholas and Timothy share a recorded Greek origin.
- Nicholas and Timothy both have 3 syllables.
- Nicholas's recorded meaning differs from Timothy'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
Timothy
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #61 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 recorded1954–2005
Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New Zealand, in 1981 (recorded 1954–2005).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys