Namewise

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 2025, Scott was ranked #845 and Timothy #418 among boys in England and Wales.

Scott and Timothy over time

Scott and Timothy appear together in 6 published lists, across 228 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 England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #845 and #418.

  • 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 · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Scott held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Timothy in 13.

    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, 2025: Scott #845, Timothy #418.

  • 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.

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 Scott

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

Other comparisons involving Timothy

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

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

Pairs measured inside New Zealand's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2000s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2000 and 2009.

The 2000s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Scott, Timothy
FieldScottTimothy
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningAn 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.
OriginEnglish/Scottish (surname origin)Greek
Pronunciation/ˈskɑt//ˈtɪm.ə.θi/
Syllables13
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #198 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #329 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1957–1999

    Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1973 (recorded 1957–1999).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #845 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Timothy

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1954–2005

    Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New Zealand, in 1981 (recorded 1954–2005).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #418 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys