Namewise

Patrick vs Ronald

Patrick and Ronaldcompared 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 2012, Patrick was ranked #21 and Ronald #718 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1972, Patrick was ranked #71 and Ronald #88 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1969, Patrick was ranked #73 and Ronald #98 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2000, Patrick was ranked #77 and Ronald #569 among boys in Norway.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Patrick was ranked #125 and Ronald #619 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Patrick was ranked #134 and Ronald #627 among boys in England and Wales.

Patrick and Ronald over time

Patrick and Ronald appear together in 5 published lists, across 134 years of shared records. Patrick held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Ronald 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.

Ronald reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 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 1965, Patrick moved ahead of Ronald in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #59 and #54 the year before became #54 and #58.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Patrick and Ronald changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 1969, ending at #73 and #98.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Patrick and Ronald averaged 17.2 places apart, ending at #71 and #88.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Patrick and Ronald were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #134 and #627.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Patrick #46 in 1956, Ronald #36 in 1954.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys34 shared years, 1948–2000

    Patrick held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Ronald in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Patrick #72 in 1991, Ronald #140 in 1952.

    The order changed in 1977: Patrick moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #307 and #284; by 1977 that had become #283 and #428.

    Most recent shared year, 2000: Patrick #77, Ronald #569.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys34 shared years, 1964–2012

    Patrick held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Ronald in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Patrick #2 in 1964, Ronald #89 in 1964.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2012: Patrick #21, Ronald #718.

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

    Patrick held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Ronald in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Patrick #66 in 1996, Ronald #564 in 2018.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Patrick #134, Ronald #627.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys21 shared years, 1952–1972

    Patrick held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Ronald in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Patrick #51 in 1955, Ronald #24 in 1952.

    The order changed in 1965: Patrick moved ahead. In 1964 they stood at #59 and #54; by 1965 that had become #54 and #58.

    Most recent shared year, 1972: Patrick #71, Ronald #88.

  • New Zealand · Boys15 shared years, 1954–1969

    Patrick held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Ronald in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Patrick #46 in 1956, Ronald #36 in 1954.

    The order changed in 1961: Patrick moved ahead. In 1960 they stood at #60 and #59; by 1961 that had become #58 and #61.

    Most recent shared year, 1969: Patrick #73, Ronald #98.

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 Patrick

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

Other comparisons involving Ronald

Pairs where Ronald 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 — close in one country, far apart in another.

All close in one country, far apart in another→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2010s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2010 and 2019.

The 2010s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Patrick, Ronald
FieldPatrickRonald
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningFrom Latin Patricius, meaning 'nobleman, patrician'. Adopted by Saint Patrick (originally named Sucat), a Romanized Briton who Christianized Ireland and became its patron saint.Not yet recorded
OriginLatinNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈpæt.ɹɪk/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesPádraig, PádraicNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #25 (2025)England and Wales · Boys #627 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Patrick has a recorded origin (Latin); Ronald does not have one recorded yet.
  • Patrick and Ronald both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Patrick; Ronald doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Patrick a "high" Data Confidence level and Ronald 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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #134 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Ronald

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #202 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1952–1972

    Highest recorded position: #24 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1972).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #627 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys