Noah vs Theodore
Noah and Theodorecompared 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 2025, Noah was ranked #1 and Theodore #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Noah was ranked #1 and Theodore #6 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Noah was ranked #1 and Theodore #36 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Noah was ranked #2 and Theodore #8 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Noah was ranked #3 and Theodore #32 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Noah was ranked #3 and Theodore #44 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Noah and Theodore over time
Noah and Theodore appear together in 6 published lists, across 131 years of shared records. Noah held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Theodore in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Noah reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Theodore 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1997, Noah moved ahead of Theodore in England and Wales · Boys — #225 and #209 the year before became #161 and #197.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 52 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Noah and Theodore averaged 32.6 places apart, ending at #2 and #8.
- Longest-running competitions
Noah and Theodore were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 52 years, from 1996 to 2024, ending at #2 and #8.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Noah #1 in 2021, Theodore #8 in 2022.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys52 shared years, 1996–2024
Noah held the stronger position in 51 of those years, Theodore in 1.
Highest recorded here: Noah #1 in 2021, Theodore #8 in 2022.
The order changed in 1997: Noah moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #225 and #209; by 1997 that had become #161 and #197.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Noah #2, Theodore #8.
Republic of Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 1998–2025
Noah held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Theodore in 0.
Highest recorded here: Noah #2 in 2021, Theodore #44 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Noah #3, Theodore #44.
Northern Ireland · Boys17 shared years, 2001–2024
Noah held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Theodore in 0.
Highest recorded here: Noah #1 in 2018, Theodore #32 in 2024.
The order changed in 2003: Noah moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #243 and #243; by 2003 that had become #162 and #299.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Noah #3, Theodore #32.
Scotland · Boys16 shared years, 2024–2024
Noah held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Theodore in 0.
Highest recorded here: Noah #1 in 2024, Theodore #36 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Noah #1, Theodore #36.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys11 shared years, 2015–2025
Noah held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Theodore in 0.
Highest recorded here: Noah #1 in 2022, Theodore #3 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Noah #1, Theodore #3.
New Zealand · Boys11 shared years, 2013–2023
Noah held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Theodore in 0.
Highest recorded here: Noah #1 in 2023, Theodore #6 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Noah #1, Theodore #6.
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 | Noah | Theodore |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'rest' or 'comfort'. | Gift of God. |
| Origin | Hebrew | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈnoʊə/ | /ˈθiəˌdɔɹ/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Noa, Noé | Teddy |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #1 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #3 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | high |
What the data shows
- Noah is recorded with a Hebrew origin, while Theodore is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Noah has 1 syllable, compared with 3 for Theodore.
- Noah's recorded meaning differs from Theodore's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Noah
Popularity journey
First recorded1990
First recorded at #640 among boys in Norway in 1990 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2021 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Theodore
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #214 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded2015–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2024 (recorded 2015–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys