Samuel vs Tor-Erik

Samuel and Tor-Erikcompared 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.

Norway · Boys
In 1996, Samuel was ranked #176 and Tor-Erik #378 among boys in Norway.

Samuel and Tor-Erik over time

Samuel and Tor-Erik appear together in 1 published list, across 29 years of shared records. Samuel held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Tor-Erik in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Tor-Erik reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Samuel in none. 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
Samuel and Tor-Erik changed places 6 times in Norway · Boys between 1964 and 1996, ending at #176 and #378.

List by list

Norway · Boys29 shared years, 1964–1996
Samuel held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Tor-Erik in 3.
Highest recorded here: Samuel #159 in 1992, Tor-Erik #287 in 1983.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1996: Samuel #176, Tor-Erik #378.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Samuel

Pairs where Samuel shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Samuel vs Graham
In 1964 they stood at #119 and #129 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 10 places apart; by 2023 they were #90 and #770.
Samuel · Graham · 54 shared years, 1964–2023 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2023 Republic of Ireland ranking
Samuel vs Garry
In 1964 they stood at #119 and #114 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 5 places apart; by 2009 they were #37 and #701.
Samuel · Garry · 45 shared years, 1964–2009 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2009 Republic of Ireland ranking
Samuel vs Roger
In 1964 they stood at #119 and #113 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 6 places apart; by 2021 they were #75 and #631.
Samuel · Roger · 41 shared years, 1964–2021 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2021 Republic of Ireland ranking
Samuel vs Ross
In 1997 they stood at #39 and #30 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 9 places apart; by 2023 they were #79 and #395.
Samuel · Ross · 27 shared years, 1997–2023 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2023 Northern Ireland ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Samuel, Tor-Erik
Field	Samuel	Tor-Erik
Record type	Editorially researched profile	Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usage	male	male
Meaning	Traditionally rendered as 'name of God', though also popularly interpreted as 'God has heard' — sources differ on which root is emphasised.	Not yet recorded
Origin	Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Samouel	Not yet recorded
Pronunciation	/ˈsæmjuːəl/	Not yet recorded
Syllables	2	3
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ	NO
Most recent popularity observation	New South Wales, Australia · Boys #38 (2025)	Norway · Boys #378 (1996)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	90/100	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	88/100	76/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	40/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Samuel has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Samouel); Tor-Erik does not have one recorded yet.
Samuel has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Tor-Erik.
A meaning is recorded for Samuel; Tor-Erik doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in NO.

How each name got here

Samuel

Popularity journey

First recorded1946
First recorded at #339 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1967–2023
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 1998 (recorded 1967–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #38 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys

Tor-Erik

Popularity journey

First recorded1964
First recorded at #523 among boys in Norway in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1964–1996
Highest recorded position: #287 among boys in Norway, in 1983 (recorded 1964–1996).
Norway · Boys
Most recent1996
Most recently recorded at #378 among boys in Norway, in 1996.
Norway · Boys