Patrick vs Paul
Patrick and Paulcompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Patrick was ranked #25 and Paul #286 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Patrick was ranked #26 and Paul #278 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1998, Patrick was ranked #33 and Paul #86 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1998, Patrick was ranked #50 and Paul #86 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Patrick was ranked #120 and Paul #586 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Patrick was ranked #125 and Paul #290 among boys in Scotland.
Norway · Boys
In 2024, Patrick was ranked #276 and Paul #370 among boys in Norway.
Patrick and Paul over time
Patrick and Paul appear together in 6 published lists, across 278 years of shared records. Patrick held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Paul in 2.
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.
Paul reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Patrick in 1. 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 1989, Patrick moved ahead of Paul in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #38 and #29 the year before became #32 and #42.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Patrick and Paul changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #25 and #286.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 46 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Patrick and Paul averaged 42.8 places apart, ending at #33 and #86.
- Longest-running competitions
Patrick and Paul were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 46 years, from 1952 to 1998, ending at #33 and #86.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Patrick #66 in 1996, Paul #72 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #66 and #72 in England and Wales · Boys, 6 places apart; by 2024 they were #120 and #586.
List by list
Norway · Boys69 shared years, 1948–2024
Patrick held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Paul in 29.
Highest recorded here: Patrick #67 in 1989, Paul #72 in 1949.
The order changed in 1985: Patrick moved ahead. In 1984 they stood at #147 and #142; by 1985 that had become #136 and #153.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Patrick #276, Paul #370.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Patrick held the stronger position in 58 of those years, Paul in 3.
Highest recorded here: Patrick #2 in 1964, Paul #3 in 1978.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Patrick #25, Paul #286.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys46 shared years, 1952–1998
Patrick held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Paul in 37.
Highest recorded here: Patrick #30 in 1994, Paul #4 in 1966.
The order changed in 1989: Patrick moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #38 and #29; by 1989 that had become #32 and #42.
Most recent shared year, 1998: Patrick #33, Paul #86.
New Zealand · Boys44 shared years, 1954–1998
Patrick held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Paul in 37.
Highest recorded here: Patrick #45 in 1967, Paul #3 in 1965.
The order changed in 1991: Patrick moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #51 and #48; by 1991 that had become #47 and #50.
Most recent shared year, 1998: Patrick #50, Paul #86.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Patrick held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Paul in 0.
Highest recorded here: Patrick #66 in 1996, Paul #72 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Patrick #120, Paul #586.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Patrick held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Paul in 0.
Highest recorded here: Patrick #18 in 2003, Paul #27 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Patrick #26, Paul #278.
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 | Patrick | Paul |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From Latin Patricius, meaning 'nobleman, patrician'. Adopted by Saint Patrick (originally named Sucat), a Romanized Briton who Christianized Ireland and became its patron saint. | From the Roman name Paulus, meaning 'small' in Latin. Saint Paul, originally named Saul, converted to Christianity and became a key missionary figure, authoring several New Testament epistles. |
| Origin | Latin | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈpæt.ɹɪk/ | /ˈpɔːl/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Pádraig, Pádraic | 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 | Republic of Ireland · Boys #25 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #286 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Both Patrick and Paul share a recorded Latin origin.
- Patrick has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Paul.
- Patrick's recorded meaning differs from Paul'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 Patrick a "high" Data Confidence level and Paul a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
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
Paul
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #73 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1998
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 1965 (recorded 1954–1998).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #286 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys