Oisin vs Timothy
Oisin 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.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Oisin was ranked #9 and Timothy #339 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Oisin was ranked #234 and Timothy #535 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Oisin was ranked #262 and Timothy #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Oisin was ranked #517 and Timothy #418 among boys in England and Wales.
Oisin and Timothy over time
Oisin and Timothy appear together in 3 published lists, across 119 years of shared records. Timothy held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Oisin in 1.
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.
Timothy reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Oisin 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Oisin and Timothy changed places 5 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #262 and #329.
- Longest-running competitions
Oisin and Timothy were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #517 and #418.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1997 they stood at #81 and #83 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 2 places apart; by 2024 they were #9 and #339.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1964–2025
Oisin held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Timothy in 32.
Highest recorded here: Oisin #8 in 2016, Timothy #26 in 1964.
The order changed in 2025: Oisin moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #252 and #187; by 2025 that had become #262 and #329.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Oisin #262, Timothy #329.
England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Oisin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Timothy in 30.
Highest recorded here: Oisin #433 in 2021, Timothy #82 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Oisin #517, Timothy #418.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Oisin held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Timothy in 0.
Highest recorded here: Oisin #7 in 2022, Timothy #75 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Oisin #9, 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 | Oisin | Timothy |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Traditionally interpreted as 'little deer', combining an Old Irish word for deer or stag with a diminutive ending. | From Greek Timotheos, literally 'honouring God', combining 'timao' (to honour) with 'theos' (god). Saint Timothy accompanied the Apostle Paul on missionary journeys. |
| Origin | Irish | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /oʊˈʃiːn/ | /ˈtɪm.ə.θi/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #262 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #329 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Oisin is recorded with a Irish origin, while Timothy is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Oisin has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Timothy.
- Oisin's recorded meaning differs from Timothy's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Oisin
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #232 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 recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2022 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #517 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · 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 #418 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys