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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Oliver was ranked #3 and Samuel #60 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Oliver was ranked #5 and Samuel #75 among boys in Norway.
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 278 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 52 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Oliver and Samuel averaged 37.1 places apart, ending at #3 and #60.
- 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 52 years, from 1996 to 2024, ending at #3 and #60.
- 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.
England and Wales · Boys52 shared years, 1996–2024
Oliver held the stronger position in 44 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, 2024: Oliver #3, Samuel #60.
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.
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.
Side by side
| Field | Oliver | Samuel |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly 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. |
| Origin | Old French | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Samouel |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɒlɪvər/ | /ˈsæmjuːəl/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Ollie, Olivier, Oliviero | Not yet recorded |
| 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) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #38 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
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
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
Samuel
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1967–2023
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 1998 (recorded 1967–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #38 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys