Philip vs Steven
Philip 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 South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1988, Philip was ranked #98 and Steven #30 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1992, Philip was ranked #95 and Steven #44 among boys in New Zealand.
Norway · Boys
In 2017, Philip was ranked #77 and Steven #487 among boys in Norway.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Philip was ranked #619 and Steven #307 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Philip was ranked #309 and Steven #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Philip was ranked #311 and Steven #414 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Philip was ranked #461 and Steven #800 among boys in England and Wales.
Philip and Steven over time
Philip and Steven appear together in 6 published lists, across 243 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Philip 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1954, Steven moved ahead of Philip in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #31 and #33 the year before became #31 and #30.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Philip and Steven changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 1992, ending at #95 and #44.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 36 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Philip and Steven averaged 37.6 places apart, ending at #98 and #30.
- Longest-running competitions
Philip and Steven were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 36 years, from 1952 to 1988, ending at #98 and #30.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Philip #103 in 1996, Steven #73 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1964–2025
Philip held the stronger position in 57 of those years, Steven in 4.
Highest recorded here: Philip #30 in 1978, Steven #57 in 1990.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Philip #309, Steven #829.
Norway · Boys55 shared years, 1954–2017
Philip held the stronger position in 42 of those years, Steven in 13.
Highest recorded here: Philip #68 in 2013, Steven #224 in 1983.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Philip #77, Steven #487.
New Zealand · Boys38 shared years, 1954–1992
Philip held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Steven in 32.
Highest recorded here: Philip #20 in 1963, Steven #15 in 1967.
The order changed in 1964: Steven moved ahead. In 1963 they stood at #20 and #22; by 1964 that had become #22 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 1992: Philip #95, Steven #44.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys36 shared years, 1952–1988
Philip held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Steven in 34.
Highest recorded here: Philip #29 in 1958, Steven #12 in 1961.
The order changed in 1954: Steven moved ahead. In 1953 they stood at #31 and #33; by 1954 that had become #31 and #30.
Most recent shared year, 1988: Philip #98, Steven #30.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Philip held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Steven in 16.
Highest recorded here: Philip #103 in 1996, Steven #73 in 1996.
The order changed in 2012: Philip moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #356 and #298; by 2012 that had become #271 and #332.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Philip #461, Steven #800.
Northern Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 1997–2022
Philip held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Steven in 10.
Highest recorded here: Philip #51 in 1997, Steven #54 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Philip #311, 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 | Philip | Steven |
|---|---|---|
| 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-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #91 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (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 Steven both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, 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
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