Namewise

Ross vs Russell

Ross and Russellcompared 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 1979, Ross was ranked #71 and Russell #85 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1983, Ross was ranked #86 and Russell #97 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2020, Ross was ranked #231 and Russell #392 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2022, Ross was ranked #293 and Russell #657 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Ross was ranked #307 and Russell #727 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Ross was ranked #3254 and Russell #1460 among boys in England and Wales.

Ross and Russell over time

Ross and Russell appear together in 4 published lists, across 119 years of shared records. Ross held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Russell 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.

Russell reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Ross 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.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 26 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Ross and Russell averaged 10.7 places apart, ending at #86 and #97.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Ross and Russell were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 44 years, from 1964 to 2022, ending at #293 and #657.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Ross #60 in 1997, Russell #257 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys44 shared years, 19642022

    Ross held the stronger position in 43 of those years, Russell in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Ross #39 in 1998, Russell #205 in 1980.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Ross #293, Russell #657.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Ross held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Russell in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Ross #60 in 1997, Russell #257 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2020: Russell moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #894 and #1369; by 2020 that had become #1723 and #1150.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Ross #3254, Russell #1460.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys26 shared years, 19521983

    Ross held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Russell in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Ross #34 in 1958, Russell #46 in 1958.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1983: Ross #86, Russell #97.

  • New Zealand · Boys20 shared years, 19541979

    Ross held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Russell in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Ross #25 in 1957, Russell #37 in 1959.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1979: Ross #71, Russell #85.

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 Ross, Russell
FieldRossRussell
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
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #329 (2025)Scotland · Boys #727 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Ross has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Russell.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Ross

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #36 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 recorded1954–1985

    Highest recorded position: #25 among boys in New Zealand, in 1957 (recorded 1954–1985).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

Russell

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #49 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 recorded1954–1979

    Highest recorded position: #37 among boys in New Zealand, in 1959 (recorded 1954–1979).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #1460 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Boys