Namewise

Paul vs Stephen

Paul and Stephencompared 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 1996, Paul was ranked #79 and Stephen #87 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1997, Paul was ranked #86 and Stephen #100 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2001, Paul was ranked #216 and Stephen #522 among boys in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Paul was ranked #286 and Stephen #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Paul was ranked #278 and Stephen #305 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Paul was ranked #290 and Stephen #535 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Paul was ranked #602 and Stephen #716 among boys in England and Wales.

Paul and Stephen over time

Paul and Stephen appear together in 6 published lists, across 258 years of shared records. Paul held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Stephen in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Paul reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Stephen in 2. 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 1995, Paul moved ahead of Stephen in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #73 and #68 the year before became #72 and #76.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Paul and Stephen changed places 7 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2025, ending at #602 and #716.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Paul and Stephen averaged 45.9 places apart, ending at #602 and #716.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Paul and Stephen were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #602 and #716.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Paul #72 in 1996, Stephen #60 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Paul held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Stephen in 36.

    Highest recorded here: Paul #3 in 1978, Stephen #4 in 1983.

    The order changed in 2025: Stephen moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #222 and #240; by 2025 that had become #286 and #232.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Paul #286, Stephen #232.

  • Norway · Boys50 shared years, 1946–2001

    Paul held the stronger position in 50 of those years, Stephen in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Paul #67 in 1946, Stephen #210 in 1956.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2001: Paul #216, Stephen #522.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys45 shared years, 1952–1997

    Paul held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Stephen in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Paul #4 in 1966, Stephen #3 in 1955.

    The order changed in 1995: Paul moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #73 and #68; by 1995 that had become #72 and #76.

    Most recent shared year, 1997: Paul #86, Stephen #100.

  • New Zealand · Boys43 shared years, 1954–1996

    Paul held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Stephen in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Paul #3 in 1965, Stephen #5 in 1958.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1996: Paul #79, Stephen #87.

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

    Paul held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Stephen in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Paul #72 in 1996, Stephen #60 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2014: Paul moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #285 and #280; by 2014 that had become #305 and #338.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Paul #602, Stephen #716.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Paul held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Stephen in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Paul #27 in 1997, Stephen #21 in 1998.

    The order changed in 2023: Paul moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #352 and #285; by 2023 that had become #249 and #348.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Paul #278, Stephen #305.

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 Stephen

Pairs where Stephen 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 Northern Ireland lists

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

Northern Ireland 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, Stephen
FieldPaulStephen
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 Greek Stephanos, meaning 'crown, wreath' — literally 'that which surrounds'. Saint Stephen, a deacon stoned to death in the New Testament, is regarded as the first Christian martyr.
OriginLatinGreek
Pronunciation/ˈpɔːl//ˈstiː.vən/
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedSteven, Stefan, Stephan
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 #232 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Paul is recorded with a Latin origin, while Stephen is recorded with a Greek origin.
  • Paul has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Stephen.
  • Paul's recorded meaning differs from Stephen'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 Paul a "medium" Data Confidence level and Stephen a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

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

Stephen

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #352 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1952–1997

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1955 (recorded 1952–1997).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #716 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys