Rodney vs Steven
Rodney 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 Zealand · Boys
In 1974, Rodney was ranked #99 and Steven #20 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1983, Rodney was ranked #87 and Steven #22 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 1995, Rodney was ranked #301 and Steven #75 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Rodney was ranked #2671 and Steven #800 among boys in England and Wales.
Rodney and Steven over time
Rodney and Steven appear together in 4 published lists, across 100 years of shared records. Steven held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Rodney in 0.
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.
Steven reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Rodney 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 1953, Steven moved ahead of Rodney in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #38 and #41 the year before became #39 and #33.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Rodney and Steven changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 1995, ending at #301 and #75.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 32 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Rodney and Steven averaged 20.3 places apart, ending at #87 and #22.
- Longest-running competitions
Rodney and Steven were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 32 years, from 1952 to 1983, ending at #87 and #22.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Rodney #1055 in 1998, Steven #73 in 1996.
List by list
New South Wales, Australia · Boys32 shared years, 1952–1983
Rodney held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Steven in 31.
Highest recorded here: Rodney #17 in 1966, Steven #12 in 1961.
The order changed in 1953: Steven moved ahead. In 1952 they stood at #38 and #41; by 1953 that had become #39 and #33.
Most recent shared year, 1983: Rodney #87, Steven #22.
England and Wales · Boys27 shared years, 1996–2024
Rodney held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Steven in 27.
Highest recorded here: Rodney #1055 in 1998, Steven #73 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Rodney #2671, Steven #800.
Republic of Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 1964–1995
Rodney held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Steven in 17.
Highest recorded here: Rodney #135 in 1972, Steven #64 in 1983.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1995: Rodney #301, Steven #75.
New Zealand · Boys20 shared years, 1954–1974
Rodney held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Steven in 20.
Highest recorded here: Rodney #42 in 1967, Steven #15 in 1967.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1974: Rodney #99, Steven #20.
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 | Rodney | 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 | ||
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #2671 (2024) | 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
- Rodney and Steven both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Rodney
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #38 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
Highest recorded1952–1983
Highest recorded position: #17 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1966 (recorded 1952–1983).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2671 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · 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