Nigel vs Philip
Nigel and Philipcompared 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 1983, Nigel was ranked #76 and Philip #57 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1979, Nigel was ranked #99 and Philip #76 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2000, Nigel was ranked #277 and Philip #85 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Nigel was ranked #676 and Philip #309 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Nigel was ranked #3684 and Philip #549 among boys in England and Wales.
Nigel and Philip over time
Nigel and Philip appear together in 4 published lists, across 118 years of shared records. Philip held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Nigel in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Philip reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Nigel in 1. 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
Nigel and Philip changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 1983, ending at #76 and #57.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Nigel and Philip averaged 17.7 places apart, ending at #76 and #57.
- Longest-running competitions
Nigel and Philip were both ranked in New Zealand · Boys for 30 years, from 1954 to 1983, ending at #76 and #57.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Nigel #552 in 1996, Philip #103 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys48 shared years, 1964–2025
Nigel held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Philip in 48.
Highest recorded here: Nigel #67 in 1975, Philip #30 in 1978.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Nigel #676, Philip #309.
New Zealand · Boys30 shared years, 1954–1983
Nigel held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Philip in 21.
Highest recorded here: Nigel #27 in 1969, Philip #20 in 1963.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1983: Nigel #76, Philip #57.
England and Wales · Boys27 shared years, 1996–2025
Nigel held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Philip in 27.
Highest recorded here: Nigel #552 in 1996, Philip #103 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Nigel #3684, Philip #549.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys13 shared years, 1966–1979
Nigel held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Philip in 12.
Highest recorded here: Nigel #69 in 1972, Philip #43 in 1967.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1979: Nigel #99, Philip #76.
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 Philip
Pairs where Philip shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Kenneth vs Philip
In 1964 they stood at #41 and #36 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 5 places apart; by 2024 they were #785 and #327.
Kenneth · Philip · 60 shared years, 1964–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
- Tommy vs Philip
Over 69 shared years in Norway · Boys, Philip rose about as far as Tommy fell — from #268 and #341 in 1948 to #503 and #103 in 2024.
Tommy · Philip · 69 shared years, 1948–2024 · Mirrored each other
- Kjetil vs Philip
Over 64 shared years in Norway · Boys, Philip rose about as far as Kjetil fell — from #216 and #341 in 1948 to #420 and #89 in 2022.
Kjetil · Philip · 64 shared years, 1948–2022 · Mirrored each other
- Ronny vs Philip
Over 51 shared years in Norway · Boys, Philip rose about as far as Ronny fell — from #283 and #341 in 1948 to #515 and #84 in 2011.
Ronny · Philip · 51 shared years, 1948–2011 · Mirrored each other
Side by side
| Field | Nigel | Philip |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Syllables | 2 | 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, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #676 (2025) | Norway · Boys #91 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Nigel and Philip both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Nigel
Popularity journey
First recorded1954
First recorded at #72 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 recorded1954–1983
Highest recorded position: #27 among boys in New Zealand, in 1969 (recorded 1954–1983).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #3684 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys
Philip
Popularity journey
First recorded1948
First recorded at #341 among boys in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1992
Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New Zealand, in 1963 (recorded 1954–1992).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #549 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys