Robert vs Stephen
Robert and Stephencompared 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 1997, Robert was ranked #42 and Stephen #95 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1997, Robert was ranked #54 and Stephen #100 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Robert was ranked #80 and Stephen #535 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Robert was ranked #93 and Stephen #305 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Robert was ranked #104 and Stephen #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Robert was ranked #151 and Stephen #651 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2001, Robert was ranked #182 and Stephen #522 among boys in Norway.
Robert and Stephen over time
Robert and Stephen appear together in 6 published lists, across 259 years of shared records. Robert held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Stephen in 1.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Robert reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Stephen 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 2010, Robert moved ahead of Stephen in Northern Ireland · Boys — #98 and #86 the year before became #80 and #107.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Robert and Stephen changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 1997, ending at #42 and #95.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 46 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Robert and Stephen averaged 10.2 places apart, ending at #54 and #100.
- Longest-running competitions
Robert and Stephen were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 46 years, from 1952 to 1997, ending at #54 and #100.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Robert #30 in 1996, Stephen #60 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Robert held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Stephen in 38.
Highest recorded here: Robert #12 in 1978, Stephen #4 in 1983.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Robert #104, Stephen #232.
Norway · Boys50 shared years, 1946–2001
Robert held the stronger position in 50 of those years, Stephen in 0.
Highest recorded here: Robert #25 in 1974, Stephen #210 in 1956.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2001: Robert #182, Stephen #522.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys46 shared years, 1952–1997
Robert held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Stephen in 10.
Highest recorded here: Robert #3 in 1952, Stephen #3 in 1955.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Robert #54, Stephen #100.
New Zealand · Boys44 shared years, 1954–1997
Robert held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Stephen in 17.
Highest recorded here: Robert #5 in 1954, Stephen #5 in 1958.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Robert #42, Stephen #95.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Robert held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Stephen in 0.
Highest recorded here: Robert #30 in 1996, Stephen #60 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Robert #151, Stephen #651.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Robert held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Stephen in 8.
Highest recorded here: Robert #35 in 1997, Stephen #21 in 1998.
The order changed in 2010: Robert moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #98 and #86; by 2010 that had become #80 and #107.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Robert #93, Stephen #305.
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 | Robert | Stephen |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From Germanic Hrodebert, combining 'hruod' (fame) with 'beraht' (bright) — 'bright fame'. Introduced to Britain by the Normans, later borne by Robert the Bruce. | From Greek Stephanos, meaning 'crown, wreath' — literally 'that which surrounds'. Saint Stephen, a deacon stoned to death in the New Testament, is regarded as the first Christian martyr. |
| Origin | Germanic | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɹɑb.əɹt/ | /ˈstiː.vən/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Steven, Stefan, Stephan |
| 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 #104 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Robert is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Stephen is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Robert and Stephen both have 2 syllables.
- Robert's recorded meaning differs from Stephen's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Robert a "medium" Data Confidence level and Stephen a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Robert
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #126 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2003
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–2003).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #363 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Stephen
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #352 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1997
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1955 (recorded 1952–1997).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys