Scott vs Timothy
Scott and Timothycompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1999, Scott was ranked #95 and Timothy #44 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2002, Scott was ranked #96 and Timothy #82 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Scott was ranked #198 and Timothy #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Scott was ranked #199 and Timothy #535 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Scott was ranked #239 and Timothy #339 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2019, Scott was ranked #325 and Timothy #518 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Scott was ranked #1025 and Timothy #382 among boys in England and Wales.
Scott and Timothy over time
Scott and Timothy appear together in 6 published lists, across 227 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Timothy reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Scott in 2. 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 2025, Scott moved ahead of Timothy in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #187 and #187 the year before became #198 and #329.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Scott and Timothy changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1960 and 2002, ending at #96 and #82.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 43 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Scott and Timothy averaged 13.6 places apart, ending at #95 and #44.
- Longest-running competitions
Scott and Timothy were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 43 years, from 1957 to 1999, ending at #95 and #44.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Scott #48 in 1996, Timothy #82 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys56 shared years, 1970–2025
Scott held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Timothy in 28.
Highest recorded here: Scott #42 in 2004, Timothy #37 in 1970.
The order changed in 2025: Scott moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #187 and #187; by 2025 that had become #198 and #329.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Scott #198, Timothy #329.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys43 shared years, 1957–1999
Scott held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Timothy in 26.
Highest recorded here: Scott #8 in 1973, Timothy #11 in 1984.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1999: Scott #95, Timothy #44.
New Zealand · Boys43 shared years, 1960–2002
Scott held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Timothy in 32.
Highest recorded here: Scott #12 in 1977, Timothy #10 in 1981.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2002: Scott #96, Timothy #82.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Scott held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Timothy in 12.
Highest recorded here: Scott #48 in 1996, Timothy #82 in 1996.
The order changed in 2013: Timothy moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #271 and #288; by 2013 that had become #327 and #299.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Scott #1025, Timothy #382.
Norway · Boys29 shared years, 1957–2019
Scott held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Timothy in 8.
Highest recorded here: Scott #213 in 2011, Timothy #413 in 1988.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Scott #325, Timothy #518.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2024
Scott held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Timothy in 3.
Highest recorded here: Scott #36 in 2004, Timothy #75 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Scott #239, Timothy #339.
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 | Timothy |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Timotheos, literally 'honouring God', combining 'timao' (to honour) with 'theos' (god). Saint Timothy accompanied the Apostle Paul on missionary journeys. |
| Origin | English/Scottish (surname origin) | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈskɑt/ | /ˈtɪm.ə.θi/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| 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 #329 (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 | medium |
What the data shows
- Scott is recorded with a English/Scottish (surname origin) origin, while Timothy is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Scott has 1 syllable, compared with 3 for Timothy.
- Scott's recorded meaning differs from Timothy's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
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
Timothy
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #61 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
Highest recorded1954–2005
Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New Zealand, in 1981 (recorded 1954–2005).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys