Paul vs Robert
Paul and Robertcompared 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 Zealand · Boys
In 1998, Paul was ranked #86 and Robert #53 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1998, Paul was ranked #86 and Robert #69 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Paul was ranked #290 and Robert #80 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Paul was ranked #278 and Robert #93 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Paul was ranked #286 and Robert #104 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Paul was ranked #586 and Robert #151 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2024, Paul was ranked #370 and Robert #348 among boys in Norway.
Paul and Robert over time
Paul and Robert appear together in 6 published lists, across 289 years of shared records. Robert held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Paul in 1.
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.
Robert reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2007, Robert moved ahead of Paul in Northern Ireland · Boys — #71 and #74 the year before became #89 and #42.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Paul and Robert changed places 5 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #278 and #93.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 46 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Paul and Robert averaged 8.0 places apart, ending at #86 and #69.
- Longest-running competitions
Paul and Robert were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 46 years, from 1952 to 1998, ending at #86 and #69.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Paul #72 in 1996, Robert #30 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys80 shared years, 1945–2024
Paul held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Robert in 54.
Highest recorded here: Paul #67 in 1946, Robert #25 in 1974.
The order changed in 2023: Robert moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #393 and #394; by 2023 that had become #478 and #392.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Paul #370, Robert #348.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Paul held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Robert in 31.
Highest recorded here: Paul #3 in 1978, Robert #12 in 1978.
The order changed in 1996: Robert moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #21 and #25; by 1996 that had become #28 and #23.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Paul #286, Robert #104.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys46 shared years, 1952–1998
Paul held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Robert in 26.
Highest recorded here: Paul #4 in 1966, Robert #3 in 1952.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1998: Paul #86, Robert #69.
New Zealand · Boys44 shared years, 1954–1998
Paul held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Robert in 15.
Highest recorded here: Paul #3 in 1965, Robert #5 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1998: Paul #86, Robert #53.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Paul held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Robert in 29.
Highest recorded here: Paul #72 in 1996, Robert #30 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Paul #586, Robert #151.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Paul held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Robert in 20.
Highest recorded here: Paul #27 in 1997, Robert #35 in 1997.
The order changed in 2007: Robert moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #71 and #74; by 2007 that had become #89 and #42.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Paul #278, Robert #93.
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 | Paul | Robert |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | 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. | From Germanic Hrodebert, combining 'hruod' (fame) with 'beraht' (bright) — 'bright fame'. Introduced to Britain by the Normans, later borne by Robert the Bruce. |
| Origin | Latin | Germanic |
| Pronunciation | /ˈpɔːl/ | /ˈɹɑb.əɹt/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 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 | Republic of Ireland · Boys #286 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #104 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Paul is recorded with a Latin origin, while Robert is recorded with a Germanic origin.
- Paul has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Robert.
- Paul's recorded meaning differs from Robert's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
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
Robert
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #126 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2003
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–2003).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #363 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys