Namewise

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 2025, Paul was ranked #602 and Robert #164 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 290 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 England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #602 and #164.

  • 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 · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Paul held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Robert in 30.

    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, 2025: Paul #602, Robert #164.

  • 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.

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 Robert

Pairs where Robert 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 — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from Norway lists

Pairs measured inside Norway's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Norway overview→

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, Robert
FieldPaulRobert
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
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.From Germanic Hrodebert, combining 'hruod' (fame) with 'beraht' (bright) — 'bright fame'. Introduced to Britain by the Normans, later borne by Robert the Bruce.
OriginLatinGermanic
Pronunciation/ˈpɔːl//ˈɹɑb.əɹt/
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, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #286 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #104 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

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

  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 #602 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Robert

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–2003

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–2003).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #164 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys