Philip vs Ronald
Philip and Ronaldcompared 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 1969, Philip was ranked #30 and Ronald #98 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1972, Philip was ranked #64 and Ronald #88 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Boys
In 2000, Philip was ranked #98 and Ronald #569 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2012, Philip was ranked #141 and Ronald #718 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Philip was ranked #461 and Ronald #796 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Philip was ranked #619 and Ronald #619 among boys in Scotland.
Philip and Ronald over time
Philip and Ronald appear together in 5 published lists, across 133 years of shared records. Philip held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Ronald 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.
Ronald reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Philip 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 1958, Philip moved ahead of Ronald in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #34 and #32 the year before became #29 and #36.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Philip and Ronald averaged 10.9 places apart, ending at #64 and #88.
- Longest-running competitions
Philip and Ronald were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 34 years, from 1948 to 2000, ending at #98 and #569.
List by list
Norway · Boys34 shared years, 1948–2000
Philip held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Ronald in 21.
Highest recorded here: Philip #98 in 2000, Ronald #149 in 1958.
The order changed in 1977: Philip moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #308 and #284; by 1977 that had become #345 and #428.
Most recent shared year, 2000: Philip #98, Ronald #569.
Republic of Ireland · Boys34 shared years, 1964–2012
Philip held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Ronald in 0.
Highest recorded here: Philip #30 in 1978, Ronald #89 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Philip #141, Ronald #718.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Philip held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Ronald in 0.
Highest recorded here: Philip #103 in 1996, Ronald #564 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Philip #461, Ronald #796.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys21 shared years, 1952–1972
Philip held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Ronald in 6.
Highest recorded here: Philip #29 in 1958, Ronald #24 in 1952.
The order changed in 1958: Philip moved ahead. In 1957 they stood at #34 and #32; by 1958 that had become #29 and #36.
Most recent shared year, 1972: Philip #64, Ronald #88.
New Zealand · Boys15 shared years, 1954–1969
Philip held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Ronald in 0.
Highest recorded here: Philip #20 in 1963, Ronald #36 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1969: Philip #30, Ronald #98.
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 | Philip | Ronald |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #91 (2025) | Scotland · Boys #619 (2024) |
| 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 Ronald both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
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
Ronald
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #202 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1972
Highest recorded position: #24 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1972).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #796 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys