Namewise

Paul vs Raymond

Paul and Raymondcompared 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 1991, Paul was ranked #53 and Raymond #96 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1993, Paul was ranked #74 and Raymond #100 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2023, Paul was ranked #249 and Raymond #395 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Paul was ranked #286 and Raymond #509 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2008, Paul was ranked #312 and Raymond #487 among boys in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Paul was ranked #586 and Raymond #545 among boys in England and Wales.

Paul and Raymond over time

Paul and Raymond appear together in 6 published lists, across 244 years of shared records. Paul held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Raymond in 0.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Raymond reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Paul 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.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 37 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Paul and Raymond averaged 48.3 places apart, ending at #53 and #96.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Paul and Raymond were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 37 years, from 1952 to 1991, ending at #53 and #96.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Paul #72 in 1996, Raymond #312 in 1996.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys62 shared years, 1945–2008

    Paul held the stronger position in 41 of those years, Raymond in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Paul #67 in 1946, Raymond #60 in 1978.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2008: Paul #312, Raymond #487.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1964–2025

    Paul held the stronger position in 61 of those years, Raymond in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Paul #3 in 1978, Raymond #29 in 1969.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Paul #286, Raymond #509.

  • New Zealand · Boys38 shared years, 1954–1993

    Paul held the stronger position in 38 of those years, Raymond in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Paul #3 in 1965, Raymond #28 in 1955.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1993: Paul #74, Raymond #100.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys37 shared years, 1952–1991

    Paul held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Raymond in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Paul #4 in 1966, Raymond #17 in 1952.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1991: Paul #53, Raymond #96.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Paul held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Raymond in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Paul #72 in 1996, Raymond #312 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2024: Raymond moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #464 and #539; by 2024 that had become #586 and #545.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Paul #586, Raymond #545.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys17 shared years, 1997–2023

    Paul held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Raymond in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Paul #27 in 1997, Raymond #143 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Paul #249, Raymond #395.

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 Paul

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

Other comparisons involving Raymond

Pairs where Raymond 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 — moved together in several countries.

  • Christopher vs Paul

    Christopher and Paul both fell over the same years in 6 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Norway · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Christopher · Paul · 80 shared years, 1946–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Oliver vs Leo

    Oliver and Leo both rose over the same years in 6 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Norway · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Oliver · Leo · 63 shared years, 1959–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Leo vs Oscar

    Leo and Oscar both rose over the same years in 6 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Norway · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Leo · Oscar · 57 shared years, 1951–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Oliver vs Luca

    Oliver and Luca both rose over the same years in 6 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Norway · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Oliver · Luca · 43 shared years, 1973–2025 · Moved together in several countries

All moved together in several countries→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Paul, Raymond
FieldPaulRaymond
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningFrom 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.Not yet recorded
OriginLatinNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈpɔːl/
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #286 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #509 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Paul has a recorded origin (Latin); Raymond does not have one recorded yet.
  • Paul has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Raymond.
  • A meaning is recorded for Paul; Raymond doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Paul

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1954–1998

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 1965 (recorded 1954–1998).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #286 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

Raymond

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #265 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 recorded1952–1991

    Highest recorded position: #17 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1991).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #509 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys