Namewise

Alphonsus vs Conan

Alphonsus and Conancompared 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 2012, Alphonsus was ranked #718 and Conan #354 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2013, Alphonsus was ranked #3822 and Conan #1294 among boys in England and Wales.

Alphonsus and Conan over time

Alphonsus and Conan appear together in 1 published list, across 9 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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.

Alphonsus reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Conan in none. 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.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys9 shared years, 19672012

    Alphonsus held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Conan in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Alphonsus #164 in 1967, Conan #218 in 1976.

    The order changed in 2001: Conan moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #254 and #271; by 2001 that had become #409 and #226.

    Most recent shared year, 2012: Alphonsus #718, Conan #354.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Alphonsus, Conan
FieldAlphonsusConan
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedCombines the Irish 'cú' (wolf, hound) with a diminutive suffix, giving 'little wolf' or 'little hound'. Borne by several early Irish saints and a companion of Fionn mac Cumhaill in legend.
OriginNot yet recordedIrish
PronunciationNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, IEGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Boys #3822 (2013)Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)70/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)60/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Conan has a recorded origin (Irish); Alphonsus does not have one recorded yet.
  • Alphonsus has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Conan.
  • A meaning is recorded for Conan; Alphonsus doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.

How each name got here

Alphonsus

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #155 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 recorded1964–2012

    Highest recorded position: #155 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2012).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2012

    Most recently recorded at #718 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2012.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

Conan

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1967

    First recorded at #245 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1967 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #24 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2024 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys