Oliver vs Patrick
Oliver and Patrickcompared 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 2020, Oliver was ranked #1 and Patrick #93 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Oliver was ranked #2 and Patrick #83 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Oliver was ranked #3 and Patrick #120 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Oliver was ranked #5 and Patrick #327 among boys in Norway.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Oliver was ranked #7 and Patrick #125 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Oliver was ranked #10 and Patrick #26 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Oliver was ranked #18 and Patrick #25 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Oliver and Patrick over time
Oliver and Patrick appear together in 6 published lists, across 275 years of shared records. Oliver held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Patrick in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 5 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Patrick reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Oliver 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 2003, Oliver moved ahead of Patrick in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #40 and #38 the year before became #36 and #39.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Oliver and Patrick changed places 5 times in Norway · Boys between 1959 and 2025, ending at #5 and #327.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 37 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Oliver and Patrick averaged 44.4 places apart, ending at #2 and #83.
- Mirrored each other
Over 54 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Oliver rose about as far as Patrick fell — from #23 and #66 in 1996 to #3 and #120 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
Oliver and Patrick were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 54 years, from 1996 to 2024, ending at #3 and #120.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Oliver held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Patrick in 61.
Highest recorded here: Oliver #14 in 1975, Patrick #2 in 1964.
The order changed in 2025: Oliver moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #27 and #16; by 2025 that had become #18 and #25.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Oliver #18, Patrick #25.
Norway · Boys60 shared years, 1959–2025
Oliver held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Patrick in 30.
Highest recorded here: Oliver #1 in 2018, Patrick #67 in 1989.
The order changed in 1998: Oliver moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #103 and #90; by 1998 that had become #73 and #100.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Oliver #5, Patrick #327.
England and Wales · Boys54 shared years, 1996–2024
Oliver held the stronger position in 54 of those years, Patrick in 0.
Highest recorded here: Oliver #1 in 2009, Patrick #66 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Oliver #3, Patrick #120.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys37 shared years, 1989–2025
Oliver held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Patrick in 14.
Highest recorded here: Oliver #1 in 2014, Patrick #30 in 1994.
The order changed in 2003: Oliver moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #40 and #38; by 2003 that had become #36 and #39.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Oliver #2, Patrick #83.
New Zealand · Boys34 shared years, 1983–2020
Oliver held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Patrick in 11.
Highest recorded here: Oliver #1 in 2013, Patrick #47 in 1991.
The order changed in 1995: Oliver moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #54 and #53; by 1995 that had become #49 and #55.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Oliver #1, Patrick #93.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Oliver held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Patrick in 10.
Highest recorded here: Oliver #3 in 2016, Patrick #18 in 2003.
The order changed in 2007: Oliver moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #53 and #24; by 2007 that had become #28 and #30.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Oliver #10, Patrick #26.
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 | Oliver | Patrick |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'olive tree', though the true root is debated. | From Latin Patricius, meaning 'nobleman, patrician'. Adopted by Saint Patrick (originally named Sucat), a Romanized Briton who Christianized Ireland and became its patron saint. |
| Origin | Old French | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɒlɪvər/ | /ˈpæt.ɹɪk/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Ollie, Olivier, Oliviero | Pádraig, Pádraic |
| 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 | United Kingdom #1 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #25 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Oliver is recorded with a Old French origin, while Patrick is recorded with a Latin origin.
- Oliver has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Patrick.
- Oliver's recorded meaning differs from Patrick's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Oliver a "medium" Data Confidence level and Patrick a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Oliver
Popularity journey
First recorded1959
First recorded at #478 among boys in Norway in 1959 — 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 2009 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Patrick
Popularity journey
First recorded1948
First recorded at #315 among boys in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #83 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys