Alistair vs Denis
Alistair and Deniscompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Alistair was ranked #509 and Denis #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2019, Alistair was ranked #365 and Denis #418 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Alistair was ranked #517 and Denis #484 among boys in England and Wales.
Alistair and Denis over time
Alistair and Denis appear together in 3 published lists, across 66 years of shared records. Denis held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Alistair in 1.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Alistair reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Denis 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Alistair and Denis were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #517 and #484.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Alistair held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Denis in 13.
Highest recorded here: Alistair #133 in 1996, Denis #262 in 2020.
The order changed in 2013: Denis moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #405 and #460; by 2013 that had become #396 and #359.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alistair #517, Denis #484.
Republic of Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1969–2025
Alistair held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Denis in 27.
Highest recorded here: Alistair #245 in 1979, Denis #28 in 1970.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alistair #509, Denis #232.
Northern Ireland · Boys9 shared years, 1998–2019
Alistair held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Denis in 4.
Highest recorded here: Alistair #221 in 1998, Denis #231 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Alistair #365, Denis #418.
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 | Alistair | Denis |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #509 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Alistair has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Denis.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Alistair
Popularity journey
First recorded1956
First recorded at #97 among boys in New Zealand in 1956 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Boys
Highest recorded1956–1964
Highest recorded position: #87 among boys in New Zealand, in 1958 (recorded 1956–1964).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #517 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys
Denis
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #65 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
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #21 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #484 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys