Namewise

Aaron vs Brendan

Aaron and Brendancompared 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 1991, Aaron was ranked #29 and Brendan #94 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2004, Aaron was ranked #49 and Brendan #92 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Aaron was ranked #71 and Brendan #402 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Aaron was ranked #114 and Brendan #619 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Aaron was ranked #180 and Brendan #1613 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Aaron was ranked #187 and Brendan #404 among boys in Northern Ireland.

Aaron and Brendan over time

Aaron and Brendan appear together in 5 published lists, across 180 years of shared records. Aaron held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Brendan in 0.

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.

Brendan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Aaron 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 took the other's place near the top

    In New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Aaron moved into the top 50 at #37 in 1974 as Brendan fell out of it to #52, having been #49 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1974, Aaron moved ahead of Brendan in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #50 and #49 the year before became #37 and #52.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 36 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Aaron and Brendan averaged 17.4 places apart, ending at #49 and #92.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Aaron and Brendan were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #180 and #1613.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Aaron #31 in 1998, Brendan #157 in 1998.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys60 shared years, 1965–2025

    Aaron held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Brendan in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Aaron #6 in 1998, Brendan #16 in 1965.

    The order changed in 1990: Aaron moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #44 and #39; by 1990 that had become #36 and #50.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Aaron #71, Brendan #402.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys36 shared years, 1969–2004

    Aaron held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Brendan in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Aaron #18 in 1986, Brendan #25 in 1985.

    The order changed in 1974: Aaron moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #50 and #49; by 1974 that had become #37 and #52.

    Most recent shared year, 2004: Aaron #49, Brendan #92.

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

    Aaron held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Brendan in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Aaron #31 in 1998, Brendan #157 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Aaron #180, Brendan #1613.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Aaron held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Brendan in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Aaron #8 in 2000, Brendan #73 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Aaron #187, Brendan #404.

  • New Zealand · Boys26 shared years, 1966–1991

    Aaron held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Brendan in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Aaron #8 in 1972, Brendan #53 in 1982.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1991: Aaron #29, Brendan #94.

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 Aaron

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

Other comparisons involving Brendan

Pairs where Brendan 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 — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia'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 South Wales, Australia 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 Aaron, Brendan
FieldAaronBrendan
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningBest known as the name of Moses's elder brother and the first high priest of Israel in the Old Testament; the literal meaning of the name itself is not reliably established.Not yet recorded
OriginBiblical Hebrew (likely of Egyptian origin)Not yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈɛrən/Not yet recorded
Syllables22
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, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #71 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #402 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Aaron has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew (likely of Egyptian origin)); Brendan does not have one recorded yet.
  • Aaron and Brendan both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Aaron; Brendan doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Aaron

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1965

    First recorded at #222 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1965–2025

    Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1998 (recorded 1965–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #180 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Brendan

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #17 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1613 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys