STATISTICS
Entry Stats & Facts # 6
Nothing makes a statistically-minded runner like me more excited than getting my hands on a database as rich in info as the Comrades Marathon entries database, and I had hours of fun going through it all and finding these interesting stats and stories. – BY THE RUNNING MANN
WHAT’ S IN A NAME?
If you are chatting to someone along the route and can’ t remember their name, your best bet is to call them‘ Michael’ or‘ David,’ as those two names both top the charts, with 129 qualified Comrades entrants. The other first names you’ d have better of odds of getting it right with are Andrew, Thabo, Bongani, Richard, Sipho, Mark, Sibusiso, Tshepo and Daniel. However, between 2024 and 2025, Peter’ s have been on the biggest decline, and this year drop out of the Top 10 into 17th place.
With just 20 % of the field being female, there are no feminine names in the overall Top 20, but‘ Michelle’ and‘ Comrades’ are words that go together well: As in 2024, the name Michelle dominates the women’ s field, although there are five fewer in 2025( 37 down from 42). Sarahs are making a strong statement in second, with 29 – and all the Sarahs who entered qualified. Samantha and Sibongile are third and fourth, with Nicole, Debbie and Megan sharing fifth place.
On the last name front, there will be 133 Dlaminis and 120 Ndlovus lining up on Sunday. The Khumalos also just break the three-figure mark. Traditional African names dominate the rest of the Top 10( Ngcobo, Mkhize, Nkosi, Mthembu, Mhlonglo and Sithole). Only the stereotypical English surname of Smith manages to crack the Top 10, but the Bothas need to pull up their socks, having plummeted out of the 2024 Top 10 into 19th place in 2025. Within the Indian community, the Naidoos in 12th earn bragging rights with 57 starters over the Govenders, who are a lowly 38th with 33 starters. There are just two Naidus running.
When it comes to combinations, there will be five Xolani Ndlovus. One of the Bongani Dlaminis is not running this year, so they are down to four athletes in 2025. There will be 14‘ name triplets’ lining up on 8 June, i. e. three people with the same name and surname: Themba Nkosi, Nkosinathi Ndlovu, Nhlanhla Khumalo, Jaco Van Der Merwe, Sifiso Ndaba, Busisiwe Khumalo, Sthembiso Mthembu, Riaan Van Zyl, Thulani Nkosi, Mark Evans, Sibusiso Mkhize, Sipho Mkhize, Bongani Zwane and Deena Naidoo.
Expecting parents who want to maximise the probability of raising strong Comrades runners should consider naming them Thabiso, Thapelo, Thembinkosi, Thamsanqa, Xolani, Sanele, Vincent, Nkululeko, Kenneth, Nhlanhla, Thomas, Kabelo, Moses, Calvin, Njabulo, Dumisani or Sarah, as they all have perfect attendance records at Comrades 2025. You can further enhance your chances of breeding robust Comrades runners by finding a spouse with the surname Mofokeng, Mabaso, Mkhwanazi or Langa.
That said, names to be avoided are James, George, Thokozani and Jan … and if you marry a Du Toit, I would strongly suggest keeping your maiden name, as one in four doesn’ t make it to the start line.
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