Namewise

Oliver vs Samuel

Oliver and Samuelcompared 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, Oliver was ranked #2 and Samuel #38 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2023, Oliver was ranked #2 and Samuel #50 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Oliver was ranked #5 and Samuel #75 among boys in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Oliver was ranked #6 and Samuel #66 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Oliver was ranked #7 and Samuel #69 among boys in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Oliver was ranked #10 and Samuel #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Oliver was ranked #18 and Samuel #76 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Oliver and Samuel over time

Oliver and Samuel appear together in 6 published lists, across 256 years of shared records. Oliver held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Samuel 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.

Samuel reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Oliver in 2. 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 2005, Oliver moved ahead of Samuel in England and Wales · Boys — #7 and #6 the year before became #5 and #7.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Oliver and Samuel changed places 7 times in Norway · Boys between 1966 and 2025, ending at #5 and #75.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Oliver and Samuel averaged 22.1 places apart, ending at #6 and #66.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 37 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Oliver rose about as far as Samuel fell — from #89 and #18 in 1989 to #2 and #38 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Oliver and Samuel were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #6 and #66.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Boys within 2 years — Oliver #1 in 2018, Samuel #44 in 2019.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Oliver held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Samuel in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Oliver #14 in 1975, Samuel #33 in 2013.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Oliver #18, Samuel #76.

  • Norway · Boys59 shared years, 1966–2025

    Oliver held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Samuel in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Oliver #1 in 2018, Samuel #44 in 2019.

    The order changed in 1993: Oliver moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #200 and #159; by 1993 that had become #192 and #218.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Oliver #5, Samuel #75.

  • New Zealand · Boys40 shared years, 1983–2023

    Oliver held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Samuel in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Oliver #1 in 2013, Samuel #3 in 1998.

    The order changed in 2009: Oliver moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #8 and #4; by 2009 that had become #2 and #6.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Oliver #2, Samuel #50.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys37 shared years, 1989–2025

    Oliver held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Samuel in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Oliver #1 in 2014, Samuel #10 in 2003.

    The order changed in 2007: Oliver moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #18 and #13; by 2007 that had become #13 and #14.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Oliver #2, Samuel #38.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Oliver held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Samuel in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Oliver #1 in 2009, Samuel #6 in 2004.

    The order changed in 2005: Oliver moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #7 and #6; by 2005 that had become #5 and #7.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Oliver #6, Samuel #66.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Oliver held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Samuel in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Oliver #3 in 2016, Samuel #25 in 2005.

    The order changed in 2008: Oliver moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #28 and #26; by 2008 that had become #21 and #37.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Oliver #10, Samuel #64.

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 Oliver

Pairs where Oliver shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Samuel

Pairs where Samuel shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

Pairs measured inside New Zealand's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Oliver, Samuel
FieldOliverSamuel
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'olive tree', though the true root is debated.Traditionally rendered as 'name of God', though also popularly interpreted as 'God has heard' — sources differ on which root is emphasised.
OriginOld FrenchBiblical Hebrew, via Greek Samouel
Pronunciation/ˈɒlɪvər//ˈsæmjuːəl/
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesOllie, Olivier, OlivieroNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationUnited Kingdom #1 (2025)New South Wales, Australia · Boys #38 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Oliver is recorded with a Old French origin, while Samuel is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Samouel origin.
  • Oliver has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Samuel.
  • Oliver's recorded meaning differs from Samuel'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

Oliver

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2009 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #6 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Samuel

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #339 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1967–2023

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 1998 (recorded 1967–2023).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #66 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys