Aaron vs Damien
Aaron and Damiencompared 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 1993, Aaron was ranked #26 and Damien #94 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Aaron was ranked #71 and Damien #468 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Aaron was ranked #114 and Damien #619 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Aaron was ranked #154 and Damien #747 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Aaron was ranked #161 and Damien #395 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Aaron and Damien over time
Aaron and Damien appear together in 4 published lists, across 135 years of shared records. Aaron held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Damien 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.
Damien 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 #34 in 1976 as Damien fell out of it to #51, having been #35 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1976, Aaron moved ahead of Damien in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #38 and #35 the year before became #34 and #51.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 25 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Aaron and Damien averaged 31.9 places apart, ending at #26 and #94.
- Longest-running competitions
Aaron and Damien were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 60 years, from 1965 to 2025, ending at #71 and #468.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Aaron #8 in 2000, Damien #134 in 1999.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys60 shared years, 1965–2025
Aaron held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Damien in 23.
Highest recorded here: Aaron #6 in 1998, Damien #34 in 1982.
The order changed in 1989: Aaron moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #53 and #47; by 1989 that had become #44 and #49.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Aaron #71, Damien #468.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Aaron held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Damien in 0.
Highest recorded here: Aaron #31 in 1998, Damien #280 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Aaron #154, Damien #747.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys25 shared years, 1969–1993
Aaron held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Damien in 5.
Highest recorded here: Aaron #18 in 1986, Damien #34 in 1974.
The order changed in 1976: Aaron moved ahead. In 1975 they stood at #38 and #35; by 1976 that had become #34 and #51.
Most recent shared year, 1993: Aaron #26, Damien #94.
Northern Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 1997–2023
Aaron held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Damien in 0.
Highest recorded here: Aaron #8 in 2000, Damien #134 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Aaron #161, Damien #395.
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 | Aaron | Damien |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Best 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 |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew (likely of Egyptian origin) | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛrən/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| 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 |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #71 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #468 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Aaron has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew (likely of Egyptian origin)); Damien does not have one recorded yet.
- Aaron and Damien both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Aaron; Damien doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Aaron
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1965–2025
Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1998 (recorded 1965–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #334 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Damien
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #75 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
Highest recorded1969–1993
Highest recorded position: #34 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1974 (recorded 1969–1993).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #468 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys