Scott vs Stephen
Scott and Stephencompared 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 1997, Scott was ranked #47 and Stephen #95 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1997, Scott was ranked #65 and Stephen #100 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Scott was ranked #198 and Stephen #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Scott was ranked #199 and Stephen #535 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Scott was ranked #239 and Stephen #305 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2001, Scott was ranked #265 and Stephen #522 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Scott was ranked #1025 and Stephen #651 among boys in England and Wales.
Scott and Stephen over time
Scott and Stephen appear together in 6 published lists, across 216 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in 6 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Stephen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Scott 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1969, Scott moved ahead of Stephen in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #12 and #11 the year before became #9 and #14.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Scott and Stephen changed places 13 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #239 and #305.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 41 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Scott and Stephen averaged 18.3 places apart, ending at #65 and #100.
- Longest-running competitions
Scott and Stephen were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 41 years, from 1957 to 1997, ending at #65 and #100.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Scott #48 in 1996, Stephen #60 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys56 shared years, 1970–2025
Scott held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Stephen in 40.
Highest recorded here: Scott #42 in 2004, Stephen #4 in 1983.
The order changed in 2024: Scott moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #224 and #224; by 2024 that had become #187 and #240.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Scott #198, Stephen #232.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys41 shared years, 1957–1997
Scott held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Stephen in 12.
Highest recorded here: Scott #8 in 1973, Stephen #4 in 1957.
The order changed in 1969: Scott moved ahead. In 1968 they stood at #12 and #11; by 1969 that had become #9 and #14.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Scott #65, Stephen #100.
New Zealand · Boys38 shared years, 1960–1997
Scott held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Stephen in 16.
Highest recorded here: Scott #12 in 1977, Stephen #5 in 1960.
The order changed in 1976: Scott moved ahead. In 1975 they stood at #19 and #18; by 1976 that had become #13 and #18.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Scott #47, Stephen #95.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Scott held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Stephen in 11.
Highest recorded here: Scott #48 in 1996, Stephen #60 in 1996.
The order changed in 2017: Stephen moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #397 and #401; by 2017 that had become #501 and #409.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Scott #1025, Stephen #651.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2024
Scott held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Stephen in 15.
Highest recorded here: Scott #36 in 2004, Stephen #21 in 1998.
The order changed in 2024: Scott moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #395 and #348; by 2024 that had become #239 and #305.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Scott #239, Stephen #305.
Norway · Boys25 shared years, 1957–2001
Scott held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Stephen in 18.
Highest recorded here: Scott #263 in 2000, Stephen #250 in 1990.
The order changed in 1995: Scott moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #461 and #339; by 1995 that had become #352 and #511.
Most recent shared year, 2001: Scott #265, Stephen #522.
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 | Scott | Stephen |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | An English/Scottish surname referring to a person from Scotland or a Scottish Gaelic speaker, from Latin 'Scoti' ('Gael, Gaelic speaker') — the ultimate origin of that Latin term is itself uncertain. | From Greek Stephanos, meaning 'crown, wreath' — literally 'that which surrounds'. Saint Stephen, a deacon stoned to death in the New Testament, is regarded as the first Christian martyr. |
| Origin | English/Scottish (surname origin) | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈskɑt/ | /ˈstiː.vən/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Steven, Stefan, Stephan |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #198 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Scott is recorded with a English/Scottish (surname origin) origin, while Stephen is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Scott has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Stephen.
- Scott's recorded meaning differs from Stephen's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Scott a "medium" Data Confidence level and Stephen a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Scott
Popularity journey
First recorded1957
First recorded at #75 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1957 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1957–1999
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1973 (recorded 1957–1999).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #365 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Stephen
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #352 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1997
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1955 (recorded 1952–1997).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys