Patrick vs William
Patrick and Williamcompared 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.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Patrick was ranked #327 and William #3 among boys in Norway.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2020, Patrick was ranked #93 and William #9 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Patrick was ranked #83 and William #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Patrick was ranked #25 and William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Patrick was ranked #26 and William #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Patrick was ranked #120 and William #27 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Patrick was ranked #125 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.
Patrick and William over time
Patrick and William appear together in 6 published lists, across 327 years of shared records. William held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Patrick in 2.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Patrick reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, William 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Patrick and William changed places 10 times in Norway · Boys between 1948 and 2025, ending at #327 and #3.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 74 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Patrick and William averaged 32.0 places apart, ending at #83 and #11.
- Longest-running competitions
Patrick and William were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 74 years, from 1952 to 2025, ending at #83 and #11.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Patrick #2 in 1964, William #8 in 1964.
List by list
New South Wales, Australia · Boys74 shared years, 1952–2025
Patrick held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 74.
Highest recorded here: Patrick #30 in 1994, William #1 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Patrick #83, William #11.
Norway · Boys70 shared years, 1948–2025
Patrick held the stronger position in 21 of those years, William in 49.
Highest recorded here: Patrick #67 in 1989, William #1 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Patrick #327, William #3.
New Zealand · Boys64 shared years, 1954–2020
Patrick held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 64.
Highest recorded here: Patrick #45 in 1967, William #3 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Patrick #93, William #9.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Patrick held the stronger position in 62 of those years, William in 0.
Highest recorded here: Patrick #2 in 1964, William #8 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Patrick #25, William #73.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Patrick held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 29.
Highest recorded here: Patrick #66 in 1996, William #7 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Patrick #120, William #27.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Patrick held the stronger position in 28 of those years, William in 0.
Highest recorded here: Patrick #18 in 2003, William #26 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Patrick #26, William #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 | Patrick | William |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Commonly interpreted as 'resolute protector' or 'will helmet', combining the ideas of desire/will and protection. |
| Origin | Latin | Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈpæt.ɹɪk/ | /ˈwɪljəm/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| 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) | Norway · Boys #3 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Patrick is recorded with a Latin origin, while William is recorded with a Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) origin.
- Patrick and William both have 2 syllables.
- Patrick's recorded meaning differs from William'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 William 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
William
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #277 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2009 (recorded 1952–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys