Paul vs Steven
Paul and Stevencompared 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 Steven #80 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1998, Paul was ranked #86 and Steven #89 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Paul was ranked #286 and Steven #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Paul was ranked #290 and Steven #307 among boys in Scotland.
Norway · Boys
In 2017, Paul was ranked #323 and Steven #487 among boys in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Paul was ranked #352 and Steven #414 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Paul was ranked #586 and Steven #800 among boys in England and Wales.
Paul and Steven over time
Paul and Steven appear together in 6 published lists, across 263 years of shared records. Paul held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Steven in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Paul reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Steven 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
Paul and Steven changed places 6 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1952 and 1998, ending at #86 and #89.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 46 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Paul and Steven averaged 10.4 places apart, ending at #86 and #89.
- Longest-running competitions
Paul and Steven were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 46 years, from 1952 to 1998, ending at #86 and #89.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Paul #72 in 1996, Steven #73 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #72 and #73 in England and Wales · Boys, 1 places apart; by 2024 they were #586 and #800.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1964–2025
Paul held the stronger position in 61 of those years, Steven in 0.
Highest recorded here: Paul #3 in 1978, Steven #57 in 1990.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Paul #286, Steven #829.
Norway · Boys60 shared years, 1946–2017
Paul held the stronger position in 60 of those years, Steven in 0.
Highest recorded here: Paul #67 in 1946, Steven #224 in 1983.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Paul #323, Steven #487.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys46 shared years, 1952–1998
Paul held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Steven in 10.
Highest recorded here: Paul #4 in 1966, Steven #12 in 1961.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1998: Paul #86, Steven #89.
New Zealand · Boys43 shared years, 1954–1996
Paul held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Steven in 6.
Highest recorded here: Paul #3 in 1965, Steven #15 in 1967.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1996: Paul #79, Steven #80.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Paul held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Steven in 1.
Highest recorded here: Paul #72 in 1996, Steven #73 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Paul #586, Steven #800.
Northern Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 1997–2022
Paul held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Steven in 0.
Highest recorded here: Paul #27 in 1997, Steven #54 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Paul #352, Steven #414.
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 | Steven |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| 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. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Latin | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈpɔːl/ | |
| 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 #829 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| 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 has a recorded origin (Latin); Steven does not have one recorded yet.
- Paul has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Steven.
- A meaning is recorded for Paul; Steven doesn't have one written yet.
- 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
Steven
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #363 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2000
Highest recorded position: #12 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1961 (recorded 1952–2000).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys