Andrew vs Ciaran
Andrew and Ciarancompared 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.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Andrew was ranked #104 and Ciaran #191 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Andrew was ranked #106 and Ciaran #372 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Andrew was ranked #216 and Ciaran #216 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Andrew was ranked #315 and Ciaran #800 among boys in England and Wales.
Andrew and Ciaran over time
Andrew and Ciaran appear together in 3 published lists, across 118 years of shared records. Andrew held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Ciaran in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Andrew reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Ciaran 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.
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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Andrew and Ciaran changed places 13 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #216 and #216.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Andrew and Ciaran averaged 19.0 places apart, ending at #216 and #216.
- Longest-running competitions
Andrew and Ciaran were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 61 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #106 and #372.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Andrew #5 in 1997, Ciaran #26 in 1998.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1964–2025
Andrew held the stronger position in 48 of those years, Ciaran in 12.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #16 in 1992, Ciaran #23 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Andrew #106, Ciaran #372.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Andrew held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Ciaran in 0.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #29 in 1996, Ciaran #107 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Andrew #315, Ciaran #800.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Andrew held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Ciaran in 5.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #5 in 1997, Ciaran #26 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Andrew #216, Ciaran #216.
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 | Andrew | Ciaran |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | The English form of Greek Andreas, from 'andreios' ('manly, masculine'), itself from 'aner' ('man'). The apostle Andrew was the first disciple to join Jesus and is patron saint of Scotland. | The unaccented catalogue spelling of Ciarán, a diminutive of Ciar ('black, dark') — borne by two 6th-century Irish saints, Ciarán the Elder (founder of Saighir) and Ciarán the Younger (founder of Clonmacnoise). |
| Origin | Greek, biblical | Irish, from Old Irish ciar ('dark') |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæn.dɹuː/ | /ˈciə.ɾˠaːnˠ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Ciarán, Kieran, Kieron, Kyran |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #106 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #372 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Andrew is recorded with a Greek, biblical origin, while Ciaran is recorded with a Irish, from Old Irish ciar ('dark') origin.
- Andrew and Ciaran both have 2 syllables.
- Andrew's recorded meaning differs from Ciaran's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
- The available evidence gives Andrew a "medium" Data Confidence level and Ciaran a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Andrew
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #344 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–2013
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in New Zealand, in 1975 (recorded 1954–2013).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #106 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Ciaran
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #49 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 recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #23 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2000 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #372 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys