Namewise

Steven vs Timothy

Steven 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 Zealand · Boys

    In 1997, Steven was ranked #77 and Timothy #37 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2000, Steven was ranked #84 and Timothy #54 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Steven was ranked #307 and Timothy #535 among boys in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Steven was ranked #829 and Timothy #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2022, Steven was ranked #414 and Timothy #414 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Steven was ranked #976 and Timothy #418 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2015, Steven was ranked #540 and Timothy #542 among boys in Norway.

Steven and Timothy over time

Steven and Timothy appear together in 6 published lists, across 246 years of shared records. Steven held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Timothy in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Steven reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Timothy 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.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1979, Timothy moved ahead of Steven in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #18 and #22 the year before became #22 and #15.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Steven and Timothy changed places 11 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2022, ending at #414 and #414.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 49 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Steven and Timothy averaged 17.1 places apart, ending at #84 and #54.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Steven and Timothy were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #976 and #418.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Steven #73 in 1996, Timothy #82 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1996 they stood at #73 and #82 in England and Wales · Boys, 9 places apart; by 2025 they were #976 and #418.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1964–2025

    Steven held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Timothy in 42.

    Highest recorded here: Steven #57 in 1990, Timothy #26 in 1964.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Steven #829, Timothy #329.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys49 shared years, 1952–2000

    Steven held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Timothy in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Steven #12 in 1961, Timothy #11 in 1984.

    The order changed in 1979: Timothy moved ahead. In 1978 they stood at #18 and #22; by 1979 that had become #22 and #15.

    Most recent shared year, 2000: Steven #84, Timothy #54.

  • New Zealand · Boys44 shared years, 1954–1997

    Steven held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Timothy in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Steven #15 in 1967, Timothy #10 in 1981.

    The order changed in 1977: Timothy moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #21 and #23; by 1977 that had become #25 and #21.

    Most recent shared year, 1997: Steven #77, Timothy #37.

  • Norway · Boys38 shared years, 1957–2015

    Steven held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Timothy in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Steven #224 in 1983, Timothy #413 in 1988.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2015: Steven #540, Timothy #542.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Steven held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Timothy in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Steven #73 in 1996, Timothy #82 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2011: Timothy moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #245 and #302; by 2011 that had become #298 and #298.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Steven #976, Timothy #418.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 1997–2022

    Steven held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Timothy in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Steven #54 in 1998, Timothy #75 in 2000.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Steven #414, Timothy #414.

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 Steven

Pairs where Steven 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 — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

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

England and Wales overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Steven, Timothy
FieldStevenTimothy
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedFrom Greek Timotheos, literally 'honouring God', combining 'timao' (to honour) with 'theos' (god). Saint Timothy accompanied the Apostle Paul on missionary journeys.
OriginNot yet recordedGreek
Pronunciation/ˈtɪm.ə.θi/
Syllables23
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 #829 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #329 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Timothy has a recorded origin (Greek); Steven does not have one recorded yet.
  • Steven has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Timothy.
  • A meaning is recorded for Timothy; Steven doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Steven

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #363 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1952–2000

    Highest recorded position: #12 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1961 (recorded 1952–2000).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #976 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