Namewise

Ross vs Terry

Ross and Terrycompared 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 1968, Ross was ranked #46 and Terry #92 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1972, Ross was ranked #99 and Terry #90 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Ross was ranked #329 and Terry #509 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2022, Ross was ranked #414 and Terry #414 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Ross was ranked #3254 and Terry #2263 among boys in England and Wales.

Ross and Terry over time

Ross and Terry appear together in 4 published lists, across 108 years of shared records. Ross held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Terry in 0.

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.

Ross reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Terry 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 1972, Terry moved ahead of Ross in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #79 and #99 the year before became #99 and #90.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 20 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Ross and Terry averaged 17.9 places apart, ending at #99 and #90.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Ross and Terry were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 47 years, from 1972 to 2025, ending at #329 and #509.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Ross #60 in 1997, Terry #301 in 1997.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys47 shared years, 19722025

    Ross held the stronger position in 46 of those years, Terry in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Ross #40 in 1997, Terry #177 in 1975.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ross #329, Terry #509.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Ross held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Terry in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Ross #60 in 1997, Terry #301 in 1997.

    The order changed in 2023: Terry moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #1366 and #1534; by 2023 that had become #2160 and #1610.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Ross #3254, Terry #2263.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys20 shared years, 19521972

    Ross held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Terry in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Ross #34 in 1958, Terry #49 in 1959.

    The order changed in 1972: Terry moved ahead. In 1971 they stood at #79 and #99; by 1972 that had become #99 and #90.

    Most recent shared year, 1972: Ross #99, Terry #90.

  • New Zealand · Boys12 shared years, 19561968

    Ross held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Terry in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Ross #25 in 1957, Terry #76 in 1962.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1968: Ross #46, Terry #92.

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, Terry
FieldRossTerry
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, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #329 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #509 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

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

Terry

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #60 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 recorded1952–1972

    Highest recorded position: #49 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1959 (recorded 1952–1972).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #509 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys