Namewise

Phillip vs Wayne

Phillip and Waynecompared 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 1984, Phillip was ranked #43 and Wayne #88 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1986, Phillip was ranked #47 and Wayne #85 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2001, Phillip was ranked #192 and Wayne #243 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Phillip was ranked #785 and Wayne #520 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Phillip was ranked #1460 and Wayne #1951 among boys in England and Wales.

Phillip and Wayne over time

Phillip and Wayne appear together in 4 published lists, across 137 years of shared records. Wayne held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Phillip 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.

Phillip reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Wayne 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 1977, Phillip moved ahead of Wayne in New Zealand · Boys — #47 and #38 the year before became #40 and #42.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Phillip and Wayne changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1952 and 1986, ending at #47 and #85.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 35 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Phillip and Wayne averaged 11.6 places apart, ending at #47 and #85.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Phillip and Wayne were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 35 years, from 1952 to 1986, ending at #47 and #85.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Phillip #180 in 1996, Wayne #296 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys43 shared years, 19642024

    Phillip held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Wayne in 36.

    Highest recorded here: Phillip #122 in 1966, Wayne #59 in 1985.

    The order changed in 2024: Wayne moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #572 and #635; by 2024 that had become #785 and #520.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Phillip #785, Wayne #520.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys35 shared years, 19521986

    Phillip held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Wayne in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Phillip #14 in 1952, Wayne #10 in 1958.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1986: Phillip #47, Wayne #85.

  • New Zealand · Boys30 shared years, 19541984

    Phillip held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Wayne in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Phillip #35 in 1966, Wayne #14 in 1959.

    The order changed in 1977: Phillip moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #47 and #38; by 1977 that had become #40 and #42.

    Most recent shared year, 1984: Phillip #43, Wayne #88.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Phillip held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Wayne in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Phillip #180 in 1996, Wayne #296 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Phillip #1460, Wayne #1951.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Phillip, Wayne
FieldPhillipWayne
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Boys #268 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #676 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Phillip and Wayne both have 2 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Phillip

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #14 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1952–1994

    Highest recorded position: #14 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1994).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #268 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys

Wayne

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #29 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1952–1986

    Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1958 (recorded 1952–1986).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys