Oscar vs Philip
Oscar and Philipcompared 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Oscar was ranked #9 and Philip #461 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Oscar was ranked #22 and Philip #619 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Oscar was ranked #31 and Philip #309 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Oscar was ranked #51 and Philip #311 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Oscar was ranked #51 and Philip #91 among boys in Norway.
Oscar and Philip over time
Oscar and Philip appear together in 4 published lists, across 155 years of shared records. Oscar held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Philip in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Philip reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Oscar 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 1998, Oscar moved ahead of Philip in England and Wales · Boys — #111 and #110 the year before became #106 and #127.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Oscar and Philip changed places 14 times in Norway · Boys between 1949 and 2025, ending at #51 and #91.
- Longest-running competitions
Oscar and Philip were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 65 years, from 1949 to 2025, ending at #51 and #91.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Boys within 2 years — Oscar #35 in 2013, Philip #68 in 2013.
List by list
Norway · Boys65 shared years, 1949–2025
Oscar held the stronger position in 42 of those years, Philip in 23.
Highest recorded here: Oscar #35 in 2013, Philip #68 in 2013.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Oscar #51, Philip #91.
Republic of Ireland · Boys38 shared years, 1969–2025
Oscar held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Philip in 15.
Highest recorded here: Oscar #30 in 2021, Philip #37 in 1969.
The order changed in 2004: Oscar moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #113 and #112; by 2004 that had become #104 and #125.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Oscar #31, Philip #309.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Oscar held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Philip in 2.
Highest recorded here: Oscar #7 in 2013, Philip #103 in 1996.
The order changed in 1998: Oscar moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #111 and #110; by 1998 that had become #106 and #127.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Oscar #9, Philip #461.
Northern Ireland · Boys23 shared years, 1999–2022
Oscar held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Philip in 6.
Highest recorded here: Oscar #24 in 2014, Philip #71 in 1999.
The order changed in 2007: Oscar moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #180 and #152; by 2007 that had become #115 and #149.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Oscar #51, Philip #311.
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 | Oscar | Philip |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Possibly 'deer friend' (Irish), or possibly derived from an Old English/Old Norse name meaning 'god spear' — the origin is genuinely disputed. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Disputed — possibly Irish, possibly Old English/Old Norse | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɑskər/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | 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 | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #17 (2025) | Norway · Boys #91 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Oscar has a recorded origin (Disputed — possibly Irish, possibly Old English/Old Norse); Philip does not have one recorded yet.
- Oscar and Philip both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Oscar; Philip doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Oscar
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #263 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in England and Wales, in 2013 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #17 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Philip
Popularity journey
First recorded1948
First recorded at #341 among boys in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1992
Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New Zealand, in 1963 (recorded 1954–1992).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #91 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys