Namewise

Russell vs Terry

Russell 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, Russell was ranked #77 and Terry #92 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1972, Russell was ranked #85 and Terry #90 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2004, Russell was ranked #305 and Terry #219 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2022, Russell was ranked #657 and Terry #572 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Russell was ranked #1460 and Terry #2263 among boys in England and Wales.

Russell and Terry over time

Russell and Terry appear together in 4 published lists, across 93 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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 3 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.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Russell and Terry changed places 12 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #1460 and #2263.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 20 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Russell and Terry averaged 7.6 places apart, ending at #85 and #90.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Russell and Terry were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 32 years, from 1972 to 2022, ending at #657 and #572.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Russell #257 in 1996, Terry #301 in 1997.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys32 shared years, 19722022

    Russell held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Terry in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Russell #205 in 1980, Terry #177 in 1975.

    The order changed in 2016: Terry moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #554 and #699; by 2016 that had become #713 and #601.

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Russell #657, Terry #572.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Russell held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Terry in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Russell #257 in 1996, Terry #301 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Russell #1460, Terry #2263.

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

    Russell held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Terry in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Russell #46 in 1958, Terry #49 in 1959.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1972: Russell #85, Terry #90.

  • New Zealand · Boys12 shared years, 19561968

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

    Highest recorded here: Russell #37 in 1959, Terry #76 in 1962.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1968: Russell #77, 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 Russell, Terry
FieldRussellTerry
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, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationScotland · Boys #727 (2024)Republic of Ireland · Boys #509 (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

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

How each name got here

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

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