Philip vs Rafael

Philip and Rafaelcompared 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.

Norway · Boys
In 2025, Philip was ranked #91 and Rafael #328 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Philip was ranked #461 and Rafael #215 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Philip was ranked #311 and Rafael #234 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Philip was ranked #309 and Rafael #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Philip was ranked #619 and Rafael #619 among boys in Scotland.

Philip and Rafael over time

Philip and Rafael appear together in 3 published lists, across 98 years of shared records. Philip held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Rafael in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Philip reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Rafael in none. 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.

Longest-running competitions
Philip and Rafael were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 48 years, from 1963 to 2025, ending at #91 and #328.

List by list

Norway · Boys48 shared years, 1963–2025
Philip held the stronger position in 46 of those years, Rafael in 2.
Highest recorded here: Philip #68 in 2013, Rafael #222 in 2020.
The order changed in 1979: Philip moved ahead. In 1978 they stood at #459 and #427; by 1979 that had become #297 and #542.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Philip #91, Rafael #328.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Philip held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Rafael in 17.
Highest recorded here: Philip #103 in 1996, Rafael #181 in 2022.
The order changed in 2008: Rafael moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #276 and #304; by 2008 that had become #341 and #285.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Philip #461, Rafael #215.
Republic of Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 2005–2025
Philip held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Rafael in 0.
Highest recorded here: Philip #101 in 2006, Rafael #306 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Philip #309, Rafael #329.

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 Philip

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

Kenneth vs Philip
In 1964 they stood at #41 and #36 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 5 places apart; by 2024 they were #785 and #327.
Kenneth · Philip · 60 shared years, 1964–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2024 Republic of Ireland ranking
Tommy vs Philip
Over 69 shared years in Norway · Boys, Philip rose about as far as Tommy fell — from #268 and #341 in 1948 to #503 and #103 in 2024.
Tommy · Philip · 69 shared years, 1948–2024 · Mirrored each other
See the 2024 Norway ranking
Kjetil vs Philip
Over 64 shared years in Norway · Boys, Philip rose about as far as Kjetil fell — from #216 and #341 in 1948 to #420 and #89 in 2022.
Kjetil · Philip · 64 shared years, 1948–2022 · Mirrored each other
See the 2022 Norway ranking
Ronny vs Philip
Over 51 shared years in Norway · Boys, Philip rose about as far as Ronny fell — from #283 and #341 in 1948 to #515 and #84 in 2011.
Ronny · Philip · 51 shared years, 1948–2011 · Mirrored each other
See the 2011 Norway ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Philip, Rafael
Field	Philip	Rafael
Record type	Official statistical record (evidence-only)	Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usage	male	male
Meaning	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Origin	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Pronunciation	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Syllables	2	2
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ	GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO
Most recent popularity observation	Norway · Boys #91 (2025)	Norway · Boys #328 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	88/100	88/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Philip and Rafael both have 2 syllables.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.

How each name got here

Philip

Popularity journey

First recorded1948
First recorded at #341 among boys in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1992
Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New Zealand, in 1963 (recorded 1954–1992).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #91 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys

Rafael

Popularity journey

First recorded1963
First recorded at #445 among boys in Norway in 1963 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #181 among boys in England and Wales, in 2022 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #328 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys